Let's Talk, Singapore

Charu Chanana, Market Strategist, Saxo Singapore, preview the week's key market agenda items including the monetary policy decision by MAS as well as the Q1 GDP advance estimates. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Mind Your Business with a C-Suite leader, LynLee Foo and Ryan speak with Caesar Indra, President of Traveloka, to get some inspiration to find out why the book "Working Backwards: Insights, Stories, and Secrets from Inside Amazon" made an impact on his leadership approach. This podcast is produced and edited by Anthea Ng ( nganthea@sph.com.sg ) See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

Local scientists from NTU recently developed a new cooling system that is set to cut the carbon footprint of data centres by a quarter. Project team-lead Associate Professor Wong Teck Neng from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Nanyang Technological University Singapore shares his take on how significant this new invention is in Singapore’s broader push towards sustainability....

An incident at a school assembly has ignited a curious debate over what some regard as an outdated and top-down education system  Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times' foreign editor Bhagyashree Garekar chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe. They talk about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises.  In this episode...

Have you ever wondered what goes into ensuring Singapore’s residential towns are liveable, especially as needs and expectations evolve? Harvey Neo, Senior Fellow at the Singapore University of Technology and Design’s Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities shares his take on the importance behind master-planning as governments face increasing pressures from the influx of immigrants into urban ci...

Beijing has condemned Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's ‘sneaky transit’ in the US to engage in a historic encounter with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, which took place despite threats of retaliation from China. Ross Feingold, Director of Business Development, SafePro Group analyses the nuances behind that unprecedented meeting.   [Find Us on Podcast Platforms] Awedio | Apple Podcasts | Google...

China has set this year's growth target at "around 5%", in a cautious forecast after the pandemic-hit economy posted one of its weakest expansions in decades. At the National People's Congress held in March, China says its focus for 2023 is the economy. But what exactly are they going to focus on and which sectors will be their priorities? In this episode of the Bigger Picture, Ryan Huang zooms in...

Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony criminal charges during a court hearing in New York. In a speech in Florida after his arraignment, Trump says his only crime is defending America and that his lawyers claim there is no case against him. Kevin Madden, Senior Partner at the Penta Group gives his analysis on how strong the case is against the 2024 White House contender...

The US Dollar Index (DXY) dropped to the fresh low since February late Tuesday, as softer US data joins downbeat fundamentals to weigh on the DXY.  Is the dominance of the US dollar in global trade also facing a significant challenge with emerging global economies, such as China and India, stepping forward to trade in their own currencies? As the world's second largest economy, China has been stea...

If you’ve ever dreaded listening to on-hold music as you wait for your customer service agent, you’re not alone.  According to a study by the Qualtrics XM Institute, Singaporeans find themselves spending more time waiting on customer service teams, with almost half of the respondents leaving with unresolved problems.  Bruce Temkin, Head of Qualtrics XM Institute shares his insights on the matter a...

Is being an entrepreneur a result of nurture or nature? And what does it take to be successful? In this special podcast series brought to you by Citi Commercial Bank in celebration of  International Women’s Day we will speak to inspiring professionals who embody the spirit of entrepreneurship and champion the power of women in the working world. In this episode, Host, Rachel Kelly speaks to Shayna...

OPEC+ made a surprising production cut to support “oil-market stability” – with adjustments taking effect in May and through the year. This is on top of previously announced cuts of 2 million barrels a day. How will oil prices move?  And with the odds of recession rising, will the Fed further hike rates in the coming months?  Willie Keng analyses all that with Abhilash Narayan, Senior Investment S...

Every year we hear about them. University rankings have formed the crux of any one student’s decision-making process. However, a number of prominent Universities have spoken out against such rankings, which cannot measure the multifaceted goals of higher education. So, do university rankings still matter for students in Singapore? Jason Tan, Associate Professor, Policy, Curriculum and Leadership a...

21 months - that’s how long it took for the UK to negotiate terms before striking the deal to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.  British High Commissioner to Singapore, Kara Owen shares about that journey and the UK’s economic pivot to Asia.   [Find Us on Podcast Platforms] Awedio | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | OmnyStudio...

As Geneco celebrates its fifth anniversary, the leading electricity retailer is doubling down on its commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. It is partnering with the National Park Board’s registered charity and IPC to support the Singapore Botanic Gardens Seed Bank, by contributing to their efforts to conserve the seeds of threatened plant species in Southeast Asia due to c...

China concluded its first in-person Boao Forum since the COVID-19 outbreak last week. Coming on the back of that, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong who met China’s top leadership is calling for new ground rules so that global trade can continue without decoupling, in an increasingly divided world. So, how can countries achieve that fine balance?  Dr Tan Khee Giap, Chairman of the Singapor...

U.S. markets posted strong gains last Friday on the back of lower-than-expected inflation readings for February. How will this translate to movements in Asia when markets open today for a fresh week of trading?  Willie Keng finds out more from Matt Taylor, Senior Director, FTI Consulting, plus what else to look ahead this week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alibaba Group Holding’s logistics arm, Cainiao Network Technology, that is currently valued at more than $20 billion, has started preparations with banks for its Hong Kong initial public offering.  This comes after the Chinese tech giant announced that it will split its empire into six business unites. Chinese tech stocks also jumped following the news. It seems very vibrant now and is the a sign...

"Do not let your background define your future." That is how we would describe our guest on Mind Your Business today. Coming from a humble family background, he had no access to mentors whom he could consult or look up to. That was what prompted him to start a mentorship company as a side project at the height of the pandemic. But his business grew so rapidly that his boss told him to either focus...

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is currently on a highly sensitive transit through the US, with a tentatively scheduled meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy triggering fears of a heavy-handed Chinese reaction. Lim Tai Wei, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the National University of Singapore's East Asian Institute shares his take on the situation.    [Find Us on Podcast Platforms] Awedio |...

Despite national conversations about gender diversity in tech, women are still underrepresented, underpaid, and often discriminated against in the tech industry, numbers show. According to a 2020 report from McKinsey, diversity is critical to IT performance. Diverse teams perform better, hire better talent, have more engaged members, and retain workers better than those that do not focus on divers...

Are you thinking about setting up your own business? If the answer is yes, well, you're not alone. The pandemic has prompted many people to think about their future, such as having work-life-balance, doing what you enjoy instead of grinding out in a job that one doesn't really enjoy.  Many people, especially the younger generation now, started their own business during the pandemic.  Our young gue...

Singapore is home to a rich variety of wild species but scientists here are still discovering the presence of more!  For example, just recently, one species of air-breathing catfish was recorded on our little red dot for the very first time.   Dr Tan Heok Hui, Curator of Fishes, and Associate Professor Prof Darren Yeo, Head of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum dive into why such discoverie...

A slew of key US economic data are expected these two days, such as the Personal Consumption Expenditures, (PCE), US GDP and jobless claims, what can investors look out for?  Plus, is it time to enter the China market with the historic Alibaba restructuring? On the Bigger Picture, Willie Keng speaks with Vasu Menon, Executive Director, Investment Strategy, OCBC Bank to find out more.   See omnystu...

The surge in use of ChatGPT has sparked discussions and lawsuits about the copyrights of AI-generated content.  International expert in AI Law, Copyright and Intellectual Property Associate Professor Hannah Yee-Fen Lim, from the Division of Business Law at NTU Singapore’s Nanyang Business School shares why it's so challenging to navigate through the world of emerging technologies.   [Find Us on Po...