The 6,000 customers of MF Global Holdings Ltd's Singapore arm should get well over 90 percent of their money back from the collapsed brokerage, although its creditors may have a tougher time recovering all they are due, Reuters reported. MF Global filed for bankruptcy in the United States on Oct 31, 2011 after a $6.3 billion bet on European sovereign debt spooked counterparties and investors.
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Singapore's privately held PhillipCapital Group said on Wednesday it has agreed to buy a majority stake in defunct broker MF Global's Indian unit, Reuters reported. PhillipCapital, which runs brokerage and asset management business across 13 countries, said it would plan to rename the business Phillip Securities India. No financial terms of the deal were disclosed and the transaction is still subject to regulatory approval. PhillipCapital said it will buy a majority stake in the joint venture between Sify Technologies and MF Global and has also agreed to buy the rest of the bankrupt U.S.
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Humpuss Sea Transport Pte Ltd., a Singapore-based unit of an Indonesian shipping company, filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection in the U.S., Bloomberg reported. The unit of Jakarta-based PT Humpuss Intermoda Transportasi is already under the control of liquidators in Singapore, where it was incorporated in 1996, according to Monday’s filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan. Debt and assets were listed at more than $100 million.
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STT Tables Eircom Restructuring Plan

Singapore-based majority shareholder in Eircom, ST Telemedia (STT), has made a balance sheet restructuring proposal to the independent directors of the debt-riddled company, the Irish Times reported. Earlier this month STT surprised many observers of Eircom’s fortunes when it said it would not be submitting a proposal “owing to the continuing macro-economic uncertainty in the euro zone”. The announcement by the Singapore fund came as Eircom’s syndicate of first-lien lenders were to meet to discuss their co-ordinating committee’s proposal to take over the heavily indebted business.
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Last week, the Government of Singapore's investment arm filed a plan in court to pay $1.48 billion for control of five luxury resorts that went into bankruptcy at the start of the month, an aggressive move that would wipe out the owners, an investor group led by Paulson & Co. and Winthrop Realty Trust, Dow Jones Daily Bankruptcy Review reported. It seems those owners don't think much of Singapore's offer. In a phone interview Wednesday, Michael Ashner, chairman of Winthrop, ridiculed the action, suggested the bid was not a serious one.
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Singapore’s bankruptcy applications last year fell to the lowest level since 1996 as the city- state’s economy rebounded, posting the world’s fastest growth after Qatar, Bloomberg reported. The number of bankruptcy filings dropped 20 percent to 2,202 in 2010 from a year earlier, according to data on the Ministry of Law’s website. Bankruptcy applications last year were less than half of the 5,404 cases at the peak in 2003. Singapore’s economic growth reached 14.7 percent last year as manufacturing surged, capping the biggest annual increase in output since independence in 1965.
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Irish software firm First Derivatives has bought Cognotec Holdings Ltd in a deal worth up to $4.7 million (€3.5 million). Cognotec was placed into receivership on January 22nd, The Irish Times reported. The terms of the purchase comprise a cash payment of $4.7 million, $500,000 of which will be held in escrow pending delivery of certain agreements by the receiver following completion. The purchase will be paid for in cash from the company’s existing banking facilities. Cognotec has operations in Dublin, London, New York, Singapore and Tokyo.
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Las Vegas Sands Chairman Sheldon Adelson said the opening of the company's $5.5 billion Singapore casino and resort has been delayed again, and now expects it to begin operations in April, The Associated Press reported. The Marina Bay Sands, one of two casinos being built in Singapore, was initially scheduled to open this month. Then Adelson said in July it would open by February. Heavy rains and the bankruptcy of some of the project's sub-contractors further pushed back the opening, Adelson said.
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Iain Pero, the brother of Mike Pero Mortgages founder Mike, has confirmed he is the new owner of flight simulator business Flight Experience, The New Zealand Herald reported. Pero and one of Flight Experience's founders, Russell Hubber, have joined forces to buy the business out of receivership. However, the original shareholders, including Mike Pero, will be left out of pocket. The receivers of Flight Experience Group say there will still be a "significant shortfall" in funds after the sale. The company was put into receivership this month by ASB Bank, which is owed $4 million.
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Iain Pero, the brother of Mike Pero Mortgages founder Mike, is in the running to pick up the assets of failed flight simulator business Flight Experience Group, The New Zealand Herald reported. Flight Experience was put in receivership last week by its bankers, owed $4 million. The Christchurch startup manufactures and sells flight simulators for pilot training and entertainment. It has six outlets around the country plus sites in Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. The company was placed in voluntary administration by its owners last month.
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