1 Investment guru Warren Buffett is estimated to have recorded a paper loss of about US$712.9 million (S$976 million) after IBM's shares fell following a mixed earnings report, CNBC said. He is IBM's largest shareholder. IBM is also one of his largest investments.

2 BlackBerry may be forced to stop making smartphones if turnaround efforts fail to gain traction, chief executive John Chen said in a Bloomberg interview. BlackBerry's smartphone revenue fell 31 per cent to US$263 million in the most recent quarter.

3 The ringgit has strengthened to around RM2.77 to one Singapore dollar. However, Malaysia's foreign reserves have fallen to their lowest since September 2010. A UOB report puts the figure at around US$100.5 billion as of mid-July.

4 Troubled Noble Group will introduce an investor information day following the release of its results on Aug 13. Noble says this will provide further opportunity to explain how its business works and the results of a review of its accounts by PwC.

5 Food and beverage counter Envictus, formerly known as Etika, is buying a property in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, for RM41.5 million (S$14.9 million) as it plans to house its growing food services division and its corporate staff in one location. Unused space may be rented out.