:00:00. > :00:15.Now on BBC News, all the latest business news live from Singapore.
:00:16. > :00:24.Turning a profit is as easy as ABC. Alphabet is the world's most
:00:25. > :00:30.valuable company, overtaking Apple. And meet Pakistan's youngest chief
:00:31. > :00:37.executive. It is a sheet, and a race excess in an industry dominated by
:00:38. > :00:45.men -- it is a she, and a rare success. It's Tuesday. Good morning.
:00:46. > :00:51.Glad you could join us for this edition of Asia Business Report.
:00:52. > :00:56.Alphabet, the company which owns Google, has become the most valuable
:00:57. > :01:00.company in the world. Its share price surging on the back of strong
:01:01. > :01:07.results, making it more valuable than Apple by market capitalisation.
:01:08. > :01:11.Its revenue came in at over 21 billion US dollars, up 18%. It would
:01:12. > :01:16.have been even higher out without the impact from a stronger dollar.
:01:17. > :01:21.Results for Google were separated out, meaning it has been split. Its
:01:22. > :01:26.advertising revenue was over $19 billion, a rise of 17%. Advertisers
:01:27. > :01:31.pay Google only if someone clicks on their ad, and that number rose by
:01:32. > :01:36.31%. Wall street is cheering what they have seen so far. Shares
:01:37. > :01:42.jumping nearly 8% in after-hours trading on Wall Street. Earlier,
:01:43. > :01:47.asked our correspondent if these strong earnings are sustainable.
:01:48. > :01:52.They forget Ken, which is white stock prices have risen after hours.
:01:53. > :01:58.-- they think it can. The advertising revenue has mostly
:01:59. > :02:03.gained via YouTube. They have experimented, including ads you can
:02:04. > :02:10.skip. That is meant people are engaging more without Spacey. That
:02:11. > :02:16.has been credited with helping their advertising revenues surge, around
:02:17. > :02:21.17%. A very impressive growth rate for advertising, especially in an
:02:22. > :02:26.area where most of us don't like seeing ads. We have had time to get
:02:27. > :02:33.used to it. What about the other business unit of Alphabet? They are
:02:34. > :02:37.into self driving cars, have a secretive research division, and I
:02:38. > :02:45.into smart phone accessories. It lost a lot of money will stop when
:02:46. > :02:51.it is -- when is likely to make money? It did lose a lot of money.
:02:52. > :02:58.These are projects which Google is gambling on. They are a bet on the
:02:59. > :03:02.future. Some of these products are bringing in some revenue, like
:03:03. > :03:07.Google fibre, where they connect people homes to the Internet, and
:03:08. > :03:12.Nest, which is the smart phone company. It is selling well in
:03:13. > :03:17.various markets. Eventually, some of these gambles will pay off in
:03:18. > :03:20.someway. That is why Alphabet was under pressure to separate the other
:03:21. > :03:27.beds from the core business to find out how much it is costing. Before
:03:28. > :03:30.we let you go, how significant is it that Alphabet is now the most
:03:31. > :03:36.valuable company in the world, overtaking Apple? I think it is very
:03:37. > :03:40.significant. It is a sign that Google's investment in future
:03:41. > :03:45.technology is perhaps making it a more valuable proposition than our
:03:46. > :03:52.full, which was criticised for not having an ace up its sleeve --
:03:53. > :03:56.Apple. Google very much seen as a company investing heavily into the
:03:57. > :04:09.future of technology. In other business news, the messaging
:04:10. > :04:12.application WhatsApp? , one in seven people are using. It has
:04:13. > :04:19.outperformed the social networks owned application. 42 billion
:04:20. > :04:24.messages and 250 million videos are sent over WhatsApp? Everyday. In the
:04:25. > :04:29.latest scandal dodging the immolation Prime Minister, a large
:04:30. > :04:35.number of bank accounts have been seized as part of an investigation
:04:36. > :04:41.into money-laundering linked to a state-owned fund -- Malaysians
:04:42. > :04:48.premised. Five Chinese airlines are expected to block unruly passengers.
:04:49. > :04:59.The market is growing, but rowdy behaviour includes those who are
:05:00. > :05:03.rude to staff, blocked exits. A coin group from Australia hopes to become
:05:04. > :05:09.one of the first digital currency companies to go public -- Bitcoin.
:05:10. > :05:15.But it has been delayed once again. It has been in the pipeline since
:05:16. > :05:19.2014, and if it goes ahead, it could raise $40 million for the company. I
:05:20. > :05:23.spoke to the Chief Executive about why it is important that the company
:05:24. > :05:29.to list its shares. Because it brings legitimacy, transparency and
:05:30. > :05:35.accountability to our industry. Bitcoin is something that is counter
:05:36. > :05:41.the current financial ecosystem, so by listing, we represent everything
:05:42. > :05:46.that the current financial ecosystem does not. What we see in volatility
:05:47. > :05:53.in global markets as something that is caused by mistrust, and the
:05:54. > :05:58.Bitcoin chain technology can help resolve that. Who do you think will
:05:59. > :06:06.buy your stock? It is currently a new industry, so people who love new
:06:07. > :06:13.technology and are interested in new financial opportunities. They will
:06:14. > :06:21.be interested in our stock. Also cyber geeks like ours as well. But
:06:22. > :06:27.more to the point, we are bringing this to the mainstream collars 2016
:06:28. > :06:34.is the year when the financial markets should recognise Bitcoin as
:06:35. > :06:40.a form of asset holding that is alternative to what is existing. Do
:06:41. > :06:45.you think your initial public offering will be affected by the
:06:46. > :06:50.controversies Bitcoin has experienced in the past? Like any
:06:51. > :06:57.new technology, there are people who use it for different means.
:06:58. > :07:03.Everybody is not above the law. If Bitcoins are used for transactions
:07:04. > :07:06.that are not appropriate, it is something that will eventually catch
:07:07. > :07:14.up to those individuals. Just like how the US dollar has been used to
:07:15. > :07:20.also facilitate many illegal transactions, we believe that the
:07:21. > :07:28.current regulatory environment will hold those people accountable. Now
:07:29. > :07:34.to Pakistan where the finance sector is dominated by men, but the most
:07:35. > :07:43.successful investment banker is a woman. Our Pakistan correspondent
:07:44. > :07:47.went along to meet her. OK. Tell him to run it by me before his exit.
:07:48. > :07:52.There are few women in the Pakistan financial sector, and this woman has
:07:53. > :07:59.made it all the way to the top. She is one of the most successful asset
:08:00. > :08:02.managers here. She is also the country's youngest CEO. I was 31,
:08:03. > :08:08.and working with a board that was at least 25 years my senior. It was a
:08:09. > :08:12.combination of being female, very young, but I think I got a lot of
:08:13. > :08:17.support. You need four or five clients to show you that support,
:08:18. > :08:21.and they will do it if you are ethical and honest and are
:08:22. > :08:26.developing a relationship with them with the best intentions. I think
:08:27. > :08:31.they did see that. You said you were looking at inflation. Within a year
:08:32. > :08:37.of becoming CEO, she not only turned around losses but was able to double
:08:38. > :08:40.her company's assets. Still, she says her biggest challenge has been
:08:41. > :08:46.building a reputation and trust in an industry that values grey hair
:08:47. > :08:51.and being now, as she put it. Despite his success, she often gets
:08:52. > :08:57.asked why she works in finance, not fashion -- being male. People often
:08:58. > :09:03.don't realise this. Designing clothes was one aspect, but so many
:09:04. > :09:07.men stand in front of me with a straight face and say we don't think
:09:08. > :09:14.a working mum can be a good man. Being a woman CEO means home and
:09:15. > :09:21.work life often overlap -- good mum. She is a hands-on boss and
:09:22. > :09:27.mother. So you are checking maths homework and working at the same
:09:28. > :09:33.time. Yes. Not just that, they have so many school projects. I will be
:09:34. > :09:40.making a little shoebox of something and talking to be fund managers as
:09:41. > :09:45.well. It is like a multitasking situation. Juggling her children's
:09:46. > :09:50.needs us millions of dollars of asset funds is something she says
:09:51. > :09:55.she's used to buy now. As for the future, she hopes the Pakistani
:09:56. > :09:57.financial sector will expand and more women will make it to the
:09:58. > :10:06.boardrooms. Most Asian stock markets are in
:10:07. > :10:10.negative territory in early Tuesday trade of the US stocks started
:10:11. > :10:14.February cautiously with stocks in oil retreating to two weak
:10:15. > :10:18.manufacturing report from China and the United States. You have the
:10:19. > :10:23.mainland markets bucking the downward trend. The Shanghai up by
:10:24. > :10:27.0.5% and the Shenzhen gaining one point 25%. Those are the regional
:10:28. > :10:31.markets at this hour. And if you're time. Goodbye for now. -- thank you
:10:32. > :10:36.for your time.