Let's Talk, Singapore

The rally that has taken U.S. stocks to an all-time high might have another powerful driver in the year ahead... companies buying back more of their own shares. Kurt Mayell, Head of CMC Markets, Singapore, shares his thoughts on why these companies are stepping up buyback schemes, and his views on Fed rates going forward. Presented by Ryan Huang See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the sphere of work, we all have one thing in common: our love for Fridays.  The reasons are obvious: its the end of an exhausting five days of hard grind, and you're finally ready to unwind over the weekend. And therein lies the problem - because employees pay so much more attention on Fridays to the two-day rest that awaits them, this particular day has seen depressed productivity levels. Emaa...

What makes a good Budget? If we were to ask every Singaporean that question, you’re likely to hear a variety of different answers. Jester Koh, Associate Economist, UOB shares his take on whether Budget 2024 provides a silver lining as we brace ourselves for the dark clouds of rising geopolitical tensions, rising cost of living and an ageing population. Presented by: Ryan Huang & Michelle Marti...

Many of us grew up playing games in the arcades. Many of us have since pivoted to online games, which are easily accessible on our mobile devices. So the question is :”Do people still visit the video game arcades? Will they become obsolete soon?” Caroline Leong, Group Chief Customer Officer, TEEG (The Entertainment & Education Group – the parent company of Timezone) shares how they are standin...

Rick Bensignor, President, InTheKnowTrader.com  shares his insights on the latest movements for bond yields, when the Fed rate cutes might come and its scale, as well as his playbook for investment allocation for the rest of 2024. Presented by: Ryan Huang Producer: Yeo Kai Ting ( ykaiting@sph.com.sg )  Graphics credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors  See omnystudio.com/liste...

Life in oceans has evolved for three times as long as life on land, and it holds clues to four billion years of our evolutionary heritage. But although an estimated 2 million species inhabit our oceans, up to 90% remain undescribed. This longstanding void in the knowledge and observation of marine biodiversity is a growing worry, with potential unrecorded extinctions and declines aggravating the p...

Glenn Thum, Research Analyst, Phillip Securities Research , discusses how much momentum is behind another strong quarter for fees, contributed by cards and wealth management. He also looks at how a backdrop of moderating net interest margins will play out for UOB's loanbook. Presented by Ryan Huang Podcast edited by Emaad Akhtar ( eakhtar@sph.com.sg ) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...

Propelled by the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link or RTS Link, Johor Bahru has emerged as an alluring prospect for property investment among Singaporeans. But what do we know about the area? What developments are there? What should Singaporeans take note of when buying a property in JB? We find out more with a Malaysia real estate expert -  Chia Zi Jin, Principal, CRA Valuers &...

Matt Maley, Chief Market Strategist, Miller Tabak shares his insights on where investors should be positioning themselves between bonds and stocks, and whether they should be jumping on the bandwagon of momentum, coming on the back of high interest rates. Presented by: Ryan Huang Producer: Yeo Kai Ting ( ykaiting@sph.com.sg )  Graphics credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors ...

Budget 2024 is all about turning Forward Singapore into reality. It includes taking concrete steps to tackle immediate challenges for households and businesses, create more paths for equality and mobility, provide more assurances for families and seniors, and ultimately forge a stronger and more united nation. On this episode of Morning Shot,  Melvin Yong, Assistant-Secretary General at NTUC share...

A-level results will be released this Saturday, so it's a big day for students waiting in bated breath as they find out where they're going next. Standardised testing is a practice that has sparked many debates globally: while educators say it can provide a level playing field, critics have pointed towards the need for more rounded assessments to account for 'fluid intelligence'.  Audrey, Ryan and...

Our exclusive panel of experts join  Indranee Rajah, Minister, Prime Minister's Office & Second Minister for Finance and National Development in breaking down Budget 2024. Expert Panel:  Suan Teck Kin - Head of Research, UOB Ang Yuit - President, ASME (Association of small & medium enterprises) Paulin Straughan - Professor of Sociology, Singapore Management University Ignatius Low - Editor...

Lee Kian Soon, CEO, Astral Asset Management, discusses the measures China has been rolling out to arrest the slump in its stock market, including the significance of its biggest cut to its key mortgage rate, what more is needed and how urgent further help is required. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dreaming - one of the most intriguing aspects of life that is common to all humans. But how many of us pay attention to the contents of our dreams or make an attempt to interpret them? What do they reveal about our personalities, or states of mind?   Presented by Emaad Akhtar, Audrey Siek & Ryan Huang Produced and edited by Emaad Akhtar Music credits: Pixabay & its talented community of co...

On this episode of Morning Shot, Gladys See, Shipbroker, Howe Robinson shares about her 360 pivot from F&B and marketing into the world of shipbroking - the challenges behind a mid-career switch and skills needed to successfully learn the ropes of something new. If you’re interested in pursuing a maritime career, visit this link to find out more: https://www.seathedifference.gov.sg/ Presented...

According to a 2022 UN report, there is fresh evidence that the world is moving in reverse, away from the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) of ending hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms, by 2030, which is just six years away. The Food and and Agriculture Organisation says attaining the SGD 2 target by 2030 would be difficult, unless agrifood systems are transformed and made...

Alvin Chow, CEO, Dr Wealth,  analyses some of the highlights of Budget 2024, including the benefit of CDC Vouchers to supermarket chains; support for businesses seeking to transition to a greener future; investments in the AI industry; and discusses the playbook for investors with respect to aged healthcare.   Presented by Ryan Huang Podcast edited by Emaad Akhtar ( eakhtar@sph.com.sg ) See omnyst...

With the pressure of living costs weighing down on Singaporeans, Budget 2024 sets out to tackle the immediate challenges for both households and businesses, while at the same time holding the underlying goal of forging a stronger and more united nation.  On this episode of Morning Shot - Mdm Rahayu Mahzam, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Law, and Member of Parliament for Jurong GRC w...

Calling all travellers! Shoulder season is coming up in this part of the world. That typically means the period of time between a region's peak travel season and off-season. (Why it's called that: because the head, which is peak season, is in between the shoulders!) This timespan can last months or just weeks, and it changes with every region.  Travel experts say it’s a great time to travel: with...

At the start of this year, the Ministry of Education laid out key priorities for Singapore’s education system for 2024, and one of them is to uplift the professionalism of Sped school educators. How will this help businesses that better focus on Sped education? And how can they also align with MOE’s new directive? Sandra Lim, Founder, Math Nuggets, who focuses on teaching  math and special needs e...

Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced a $131.4 billion Budget last Friday - the first instalment of the Forward Singapore roadmap. Key shifts from the Forward Singapore roadmap were made concrete in this Budget, with major investments to help mid-career workers upgrade their skills and support those who have been laid off. On this exclusive Post Budget Panel, our panel of experts weigh in....

The stressful lives we lead - often made even more chaotic due to the prevalence of digital devices - have prompted many to turn to meditation, or mindfulness. There are countless apps, teachers and books that preach the myriad benefits of meditation, and the various techniques you can try. They aren't wrong. But it's important to understand - as with every other facet of life - why we do what we...

Ho Kheng Lian, General Partner, Turn Capital shares what goes on behind the scenes in her work of turning distressed companies around, how her firm identifies which ones are worth saving and have high potential, as well as various ways of executing a turnaround plan. Presenter: Ryan Huang See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ken Peng, Head of Asia Investment Strategy, Citi Global Wealth Investments discusses why earnings can still grow despite worries about slowing economic growth among other concerns. Presenter: Ryan Huang See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Matthews, Managing Director & Head of Research Asia, Julius Baer shares his insights on the level of consideration investors should give to the weaker than anticipated retail report when analysing the strength of the US consumer, whether it negates the higher CPI figures, if the timing of the first rate cut matters, and whether the fallout from the Red Sea disruptions can be mitigated by...