Daily Briefing: SIA challenges United with non-stop US flights; Hot demand for homes near MRT

And here’s why it pays to have a degree in Singapore.

Singapore Airlines Ltd. will restart nonstop flights to the U.S. three years after it stopped the services, ending the reign of United Airlines as the only carrier flying direct between the two nations. Singapore Air will start a daily nonstop flight from the city-state to San Francisco on Oct. 23 using Airbus Group SE A350-900 aircraft, Southeast Asia’s biggest carrier said in a statement Wednesday. United Airlines began the only nonstop flight from San Francisco to Singapore on June 1. Read more here.

For the month of May this year, the number of private homes sold in Singapore at both new launches and existing developments shot up to 1,056 units, a 41.2% increase from the 748 units sold in the previous month. Out of the 1,056 units that were sold, approximately 48%, which makes up 507 units, are found in developments located near MRT stations. Find out more here.

Times have indeed changed and even though a recognised university degree doesn’t seem as special now compared to decades ago, we at GET.com reckon that it doesn’t hurt to have one or a few for that matter, despite the higher price tags pegged to university degrees here in Singapore. A study done by the Economic Intelligence Unit shed light upon a 4-year degree course's estimated cost to be 70.2% of an individual’s average yearly income in Singapore come 2030, compared to a figure of 53.1% in 2015. Read more here.