You heard it. Corporate earnings disappoint. Companies face challenging market conditions, from softening of the retail climate to rising costs of rent, manpower and production. Externally, oversupply of oil with prices plummeting and there are few signs of recovery. Slowdown in China with China Central Bank imposes further interest rate cuts. Locally, Developers are pressing for favorable regulations to incite buyers’ interest in properties. Commodities slump as demand drops heavily from China, Russia and India.The story of “emerging Asia” becomes a theme of the past as funds flow outwards to Europe. Standard Chartered is the latest bank to retrench their staff and begin their corporate restructuring. Other financial institutions are also reducing headcount and cutting back on wayward lending. In Europe, recovery remains fragile after Eurozone crisis due to piling of corporate debts, high national deficit (e.g. Greece) and unresolved unemployment, from Spain to Italy. Many share investors ......