Arjavi Indraneesh While demand for shisha smoking is steadily going up, air quality regulations, fire safety concerns and the operational burden of managing charcoal-based systems have historically presented challenges to hospitality venues. Ronan Barry, Chief Legal and Corporate Affairs at AIR, the global leader in hookah and pioneer in advanced inhalation technologies, spoke to the Arabian Post on the emerging shisha trends and the company’s future plans. […]
Strategy has stepped up its bitcoin buying spree with a $2.54 billion acquisition of 34,164 tokens, marking one of the largest purchases in the company’s history and pushing its total holdings to 815,061 bitcoin. The purchase, made between April 13 and April 19, was funded through sales of perpetual preferred stock known as STRC and the company’s common stock, extending a capital-raising model that has turned the […]
Coinbase and Bybit are discussing a partnership focused on tokenisation, custody and distribution of U. S. stocks, a move that would tie one of the largest listed crypto exchanges to one of the sector’s biggest offshore trading venues as competition intensifies around blockchain-based versions of traditional assets. The talks, as reported, do not involve a stake purchase or any comparable transaction tied to Bybit’s route into the […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai UAE equities closed higher on Friday, extending a second straight week of gains as traders responded to signs that Washington and Tehran may keep diplomatic channels open, lifting sentiment across Gulf markets and pushing Dubai to its highest level in about six weeks. Dubai outpaced Abu Dhabi, with buying concentrated in banking and property names as investors weighed the prospect of lower geopolitical […]
Strategy’s vast bitcoin treasury swung back into paper profit after the cryptocurrency climbed above $78,000, restoring gains on one of the market’s most closely watched corporate bets and reviving confidence in Michael Saylor’s high-risk, high-conviction strategy. Market data on Friday showed bitcoin trading as high as about $78,242, while Strategy’s latest disclosed average purchase price stood at roughly $75,577 per coin, leaving the company’s position above cost […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Oil prices fell sharply on Friday after Iran’s foreign minister said the Strait of Hormuz would remain open to commercial shipping during a ceasefire, easing immediate fears of a prolonged choke on one of the world’s most important energy routes. Brent crude and US West Texas Intermediate both tumbled by more than 11% at one stage of trading, as investors unwound risk premiums […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Middle East conflict damage to energy infrastructure could leave the region facing as much as $58 billion in repair costs, according to a sharply revised estimate from Rystad Energy, with oil and gas facilities alone accounting for up to $50 billion and much of the burden falling on complex plants whose restoration may take years rather than months. The research firm said the […]
Asian equities pushed higher on Thursday as hopes of a diplomatic opening in the US-Iran conflict combined with solid corporate earnings to lift sentiment across the region, extending a rebound that has carried global benchmarks back towards, and in some cases beyond, their pre-war highs. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose about 0.9 per cent, while Japan’s Nikkei jumped 2.2 per cent to a fresh record, tracking Wall Street gains after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended at all-time closing highs on 15 April.
The rally reflected a market view that the worst-case economic fallout from the conflict may yet be avoided if negotiations regain momentum. Investors were encouraged by signs that talks between Washington and Tehran could resume after earlier efforts faltered, easing some fears over energy supply disruptions and allowing attention to swing back to earnings, economic data and the resilience of household demand in the United States and Asia. That shift in mood helped lift US stock futures and underpinned broader gains from Tokyo to Mumbai.
Japan led the advance, with exporters and technology names benefiting from stronger risk appetite and the market’s belief that any easing in Middle East tensions could reduce pressure on fuel costs and shipping. The Nikkei’s record level also reflected investor confidence that large Japanese companies remain well placed to benefit from global demand for semiconductors, automation and artificial intelligence infrastructure. Elsewhere, South Korean and Hong Kong shares also moved higher, while mainland Chinese markets were supported by data showing the economy expanded by 5.0 per cent in the first quarter, beating expectations and offering some reassurance that domestic activity has retained momentum despite the geopolitical shock.
Wall Street’s lead mattered. The S&P 500 closed at 7,022.95 on Wednesday, a record that marked a full recovery from losses triggered after the conflict began in late February, while the Nasdaq posted another record finish and extended a powerful winning streak. Strong results from major banks, including Bank of America and Morgan Stanley, reinforced the idea that corporate America is entering the earnings season on firmer footing than many investors had feared when oil prices spiked and risk assets sold off. Reuters reported that 84 per cent of companies that had reported by then had beaten expectations, helping to steady nerves about margins and consumer activity.
The earnings story is now sharing the stage with geopolitics. Markets are effectively pricing a narrower range of negative outcomes than they were only weeks ago, but that optimism remains conditional. Oil prices, while off their most alarming levels, are still elevated by historical standards, and every diplomatic headline continues to carry outsized weight because the Strait of Hormuz remains central to global crude flows. Reports that Iran may allow shipping through the waterway helped calm traders, though supply risks have not disappeared, especially with refinery disruptions in Australia and the threat of fresh sanctions or military miscalculation still present.
That tension between relief and caution is visible across asset classes. The dollar was broadly steady, the euro stayed firm, gold edged up and cryptocurrencies drifted lower, all signs that investors have not fully abandoned hedges even as they add exposure to equities. In India, shares opened higher as lower oil prices and hopes of renewed dialogue supported all major sectors, with the Nifty 50 and Sensex building on gains from the previous session. For economies that import large volumes of energy, any sustained cooling in crude would ease inflation pressure, support currencies and give central banks more room to focus on domestic growth rather than external shocks.
Technology remains a central pillar of the market’s confidence. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. was in focus ahead of results that investors expected to show a sharp profit jump, driven by demand tied to artificial intelligence chips. That anticipation has fed into a broader belief that the AI investment cycle can continue to offset weakness elsewhere in the global economy. Yet the strength of that narrative also creates a vulnerability: richly valued technology shares leave little room for disappointment, and any sign of slowing orders or tighter capital spending could quickly change the market tone.
Amazon has struck an $11.57 billion deal to buy Globalstar, a move that would give the technology group a sharper edge in satellite communications, deepen its rivalry with SpaceX’s Starlink and place it at the centre of the next phase of smartphone connectivity, including services tied to future iPhone and Apple Watch models. The proposed acquisition, announced on April 14, would fold Globalstar’s satellites, spectrum assets and […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Gold prices steadied on Wednesday after touching a one-month high earlier in the session, with traders weighing the pull of geopolitical risk against tentative signs that Washington and Tehran could return to the negotiating table within days. The metal’s pause came as broader markets turned cautious, reflecting uncertainty over whether diplomacy will gain traction or merely offer a brief respite in a […]
Michael Saylor’s Strategy has expanded its Bitcoin stockpile by another $1 billion, buying 13,927 coins between April 6 and April 12 and taking its total holdings to 780,897 Bitcoin, according to a filing lodged on April 13. The latest purchase was made at an average price of $71,902 per coin, while the company’s average cost across its entire treasury now stands at $75,577. Bitcoin treasury push gathers […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Oil vaulted above $100 a barrel and share markets retreated on Monday after President Donald Trump ordered a US naval blockade targeting traffic to and from Iranian ports, sharply escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz after weekend talks between Washington and Tehran collapsed in Islamabad. The move revived fears of a wider confrontation across the Gulf and renewed concern over inflation, shipping […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Capital, liquidity and asset quality at the UAE’s largest banks remain robust, according to Dubai-based Al Ramz Capital, which says a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran has removed an immediate geopolitical overhang that had weighed on sentiment, valuations and foreign risk appetite. The firm said direct exposure to sectors most sensitive to conflict, including real estate, hospitality, aviation, transport and trade finance, […]
Jack Ma-backed Yunfeng Capital and Hillhouse Investment are among investors said to be planning to buy shares in Victory Giant Technology’s Hong Kong share sale, a deal that could raise about $2 billion and add fresh momentum to the city’s revival as a venue for large equity offerings. Bloomberg reported on Friday that the Guangdong-based company could begin taking investor orders as early as Monday, though the proposed allocations and timing were described as private and subject to change.
Victory Giant, formally known as Victory Giant Technology Co., Ltd., is already listed in Shenzhen and filed an application proof for a Hong Kong offering in February. The draft filing makes clear that the process was still incomplete at that stage and that no investment decision should be based on the draft document alone, a reminder that the final terms, investor line-up and valuation could still shift before launch. China’s securities regulator had already given the green light for the offering in early March, according to Bloomberg’s earlier reporting.
The company sits in a part of the technology supply chain that has drawn growing investor attention as spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure accelerates. Victory Giant makes printed circuit boards, including high-layer-count multilayer boards and high-build-up high-density interconnect boards used in AI accelerator cards, AI servers and high-speed networking equipment. In its Hong Kong filing, the company said such products are designed for high-frequency, high-speed and high-stability applications and are used in components including GPU accelerator modules, CPU motherboards and network interface cards for AI servers.
Its own figures point to a sharp improvement in financial performance as demand for those products strengthened. According to the application proof, revenue rose from RMB7.93 billion in 2023 to RMB10.73 billion in 2024. For the nine months to September 30, 2025, profit climbed to RMB3.24 billion from RMB764.6 million a year earlier, while the net profit margin rose to 23.0% from 9.9%. The filing attributes a large part of that jump to stronger demand for high-end HDI products used in AI-related applications, which command higher prices and fatter margins.
That performance helps explain why anchor demand matters. Cornerstone-style support from investors such as Yunfeng and Hillhouse would give the offering greater signalling power at a time when fund managers are trying to separate durable AI-linked manufacturers from companies benefiting only from short-lived enthusiasm. Neither investor had publicly confirmed participation at the time of Bloomberg’s report, so any description of their role remains conditional until final deal documents are published.
Victory Giant’s filing also underlines the industrial logic behind the listing. The company says it plans to use proceeds for capacity expansion, infrastructure enhancement and equipment purchases in Huizhou, Changsha and Yiyang, as well as investment in smart manufacturing. In Huizhou alone, it expects capacity additions for premium high-layer-count multilayer boards and high-build-up HDI products, reflecting management’s bet that demand tied to AI computing, data centres and advanced electronics will stay strong enough to justify further capital expenditure.
Industry data included in the filing suggest the company is positioning itself in one of the faster-growing corners of the electronics market. The application proof says the global PCB market grew to US$75.0 billion in 2024 and could reach US$93.7 billion by 2029. It estimates the PCB segment tied to AI and high-performance computing at US$6.0 billion in 2024, with that figure projected to rise to US$15.0 billion by 2029. The same filing says Victory Giant ranked first globally in the first half of 2025 for high-layer-count multilayer PCBs with 14 layers and above, and also first globally in high-build-up HDI PCB in that period. Those market-share claims are drawn from third-party industry research cited by the company and should be read in that context.
The backdrop in Hong Kong is supportive, though not uncomplicated. Reuters reported in late February that the city had its strongest start to a year since 2021, with IPOs and second listings raising about $5.5 billion in January. By March 18, LSEG data cited by Reuters showed Hong Kong’s IPO market had raised about $11.64 billion in the first quarter, up 385% from a year earlier. At the same time, Reuters also noted in March that worsening geopolitical tensions had begun to weigh on trading debuts, a sign that even a revived market remains vulnerable to shifts in sentiment.
Circle Internet Group shares slid nearly 10 per cent on Thursday, closing at $85.10, after a fresh Wall Street “sell” call added to investor unease over the stablecoin issuer’s margins and over criticism of its handling of funds tied to the Drift Protocol exploit. Market data showed the stock ended the session down 9.89 per cent, extending a volatile stretch for one of crypto’s most closely watched […]
CoreWeave has expanded its artificial intelligence infrastructure relationship with Meta to $21 billion, extending a partnership that underlines how the biggest technology groups are leaning on specialist cloud providers to secure the computing power needed for the next phase of AI development. The enlarged agreement, announced on April 9, runs through December 2032 and builds on a prior deal valued at about $14 billion struck in September. […]
Tokenised perpetual swaps tied to commodities and equities have surged into a new phase of growth, with weekly trading volume reaching about $31 billion as oil volatility and broader macro uncertainty pulled traders towards round-the-clock synthetic exposure. Oil contracts accounted for roughly $6.9 billion of that weekly turnover after geopolitical tensions rattled energy markets, while stock perpetual swaps climbed 908% to around $4.9 billion, underscoring how quickly […]
Anthropic has launched Project Glasswing, a controlled cybersecurity programme that gives a select group of large technology, finance and security organisations access to its unreleased Claude Mythos Preview model to identify and help fix serious software vulnerabilities in widely used systems. The company says the model has already uncovered thousands of significant flaws across operating systems, browsers and other foundational software, but has stopped short of making […]
Matein Khalid The US-Israel war with Iran has now stretched beyond five weeks, inflicting extensive damage on energy infrastructure, airports, ports and commercial and technology hubs across the six GCC states. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz to Gulf oil and gas exports is, in itself, an economic catastrophe. It forces the GCC to conclude that energy export security is not national security. Drone and missile attacks triggered a sharp […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai shares posted their strongest one-day rise in more than a decade on Wednesday after a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran eased fears over a wider regional conflict, soothed concern over energy shipping routes and triggered a broad relief rally across Gulf markets. Dubai’s benchmark index jumped as much as 8.5% intraday, while Abu Dhabi’s main market also recorded its […]
Fresh Laundry Ranked #37 Among the Fastest Growing Companies in Singapore by The Straits Times 2026
Compiled by The Straits Times and global research firm Statista, the annual Singapore business growth ranking evaluates companies based on revenue growth performance across a defined assessment period. Fresh Laundry’s placement among the high-growth companies in Singapore underscores its strong performance and growing influence in the laundromat sector.
Recognition in The Straits Times Singapore’s Fastest Growing Companies 2026
The Straits Times ranking identifies businesses that have achieved significant growth while demonstrating resilience and adaptability in Singapore’s competitive business environment. Companies included in the list represent diverse industries ranging from technology and logistics to consumer services.
Fresh Laundry’s position within this business growth ranking reflects its consistent expansion and operational development within the laundromat sector in Singapore. The company’s growth trajectory highlights increasing demand for modern, convenient laundry services as lifestyles evolve and urban living spaces prioritise efficiency and accessibility.
Being recognised as one of the fastest-growing companies in Singapore also signals the increasing relevance of service-driven businesses that address everyday needs through scalable models and operational innovation.
Growth of the Laundromat Industry in Singapore
The rise of the coin-operated laundry sector in Singapore has been shaped by changing urban lifestyles and the growing demand for convenient household services. Many households today value time-saving solutions that allow them to complete daily tasks efficiently.
Self-service laundry outlets provide a practical option for individuals and families seeking accessible washing and drying facilities without the need for large household appliances. This has contributed to steady growth in the sector, positioning laundromats as an essential service in densely populated cities.
Fresh Laundry’s inclusion among high-growth companies reflects how the industry continues to evolve to meet modern consumer expectations. By combining reliable machines, accessible locations, and streamlined operations, laundromats have become a key part of the neighbourhood service ecosystem.
Fresh Laundry’s Growth Journey
Fresh Laundry’s expansion over the years reflects a strategic focus on building a scalable and sustainable business model. From establishing reliable laundromat outlets to strengthening operational efficiency, the company has steadily developed its footprint across Singapore.
The brand’s progress within the urban self-service laundry segment in Singapore has been supported by careful planning, operational consistency, and an understanding of changing consumer needs. As demand for convenient laundry solutions continues to grow, Fresh Laundry has focused on maintaining quality while expanding its presence.
Being recognised as one of the fastest growing company in Singapore highlights the scalability of service-based businesses like Fresh Laundry, especially when driven by strong operational discipline, a focus on customer convenience, and carefully planned strategic expansion.
A Growing Interest in the Coin Laundry Industry
The growing popularity of laundromats has also sparked increasing interest in entrepreneurship within the sector. Many aspiring business owners are exploring opportunities in the coin laundry industry, recognising its potential as a service-oriented venture that caters to everyday needs.
As more individuals research starting a laundromat, industry visibility continues to grow. The sector’s accessibility and practical service offering have made it an attractive option for entrepreneurs looking to enter a stable consumer services market.
Fresh Laundry’s presence among fast-expanding companies demonstrates how the laundromat sector has matured into a recognised segment of the local service economy.
Looking Ahead
Fresh Laundry’s inclusion in The Straits Times Singapore’s Fastest Growing Companies 2026 marks an important milestone in the company’s journey. As a recognised fastest-growing company in Singapore, the brand continues to strengthen its position within the laundromat sector in Singapore while supporting the broader development of the industry.
The recognition highlights not only Fresh Laundry’s growth, but also the continued evolution of neighbourhood services that support modern lifestyles. As the industry progresses, laundromats remain a vital part of urban living by providing accessible, convenient solutions for everyday needs.
For individuals interested in the sector, understanding the fundamentals of the coin laundry business and the considerations involved in getting started can provide valuable insights into how this everyday service has developed into a scalable and growing industry.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Fresh Laundry
Fresh Laundry is a Singapore-based laundromat operator focused on providing modern, convenient self-service laundry solutions for local communities. Operating within the growing laundromat sector, the company has built a network of coin-operated laundry outlets designed to support busy urban lifestyles with accessible washing and drying facilities.
Through a scalable and service-driven model, Fresh Laundry continues to expand its presence across neighbourhoods, supporting the increasing demand for reliable laundry services. The company also shares industry insights for individuals exploring opportunities in the coin laundry business or considering entering the laundromat market, reflecting its broader involvement in Singapore’s evolving self-service laundry ecosystem.
Fresh Laundry’s recent recognition in The Straits Times Singapore’s Fastest Growing Companies 2026 further highlights its progress as a fastest-growing company in Singapore, reinforcing its role within the country’s developing laundry services sector.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Apple’s long-rumoured foldable iPhone appears to remain in line for the company’s autumn product cycle alongside the iPhone 18 family, even as fresh reports have pointed to engineering hurdles that briefly stirred doubts over the timing of its debut. The shifting picture has left investors and supply-chain watchers weighing whether the device will be unveiled with the premium 2026 iPhones, shipped slightly later, […]
XRP climbed sharply alongside Bitcoin, but the advance has yet to settle the bigger question hanging over the token: whether this is the start of a durable reversal or another rally inside a broader weak trend. Market data over the past week showed Bitcoin regaining ground towards the $70,000 mark, while XRP posted gains of about 5% at one stage before slipping back, reflecting stronger risk appetite […]
By Nitya Chakraborty China and Russia are the two major countries which are going the wholehog in boosting the Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing who has just been elected as the new President following national elections which were rigged, according to the international poll observers. India also exercised its diplomatic pragmatism by doing away […]
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