The Business Times Podcasts

Market news for December 16, 2025: Asian markets retreat ahead of US jobs as tech worries weigh; Chinese tech shares head for correction;  DBS, OCBC hit new records but UOB lags; Indian rupee slips to record low. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by  The Business Times that looks at the day’s market movements and news from Singapore and the region. Written by:...

Headline news for December 16, 2025: Ford slashes its EV ambitions, Brussels retreats on its 2035 combustion-car ban, and border clashes escalate in Southeast Asia, as Japan edges toward a rare rate hike and Singapore inks major deals with China. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )&...

Market news for December 15, 2025: Asian markets drop with Wall Street as tech fears revive; Bank of Japan expected to hike rates on Friday; Ringgit’s outperformance set to extend next year on AI boost; Thai baht is too strong , impacting economy, finance minister says. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by  The Business Times that looks at the day’s market mov...

Headline news for December 15, 2025: Australia mourns deadly antisemitic shooting, Ukraine signals a major concession in peace talks, Thailand’s border conflict escalates, and Japan’s business sentiment climbs as Singapore employers brace for cautious pay rises in 2026. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Clare...

Your business is your biggest asset—but is it your smartest retirement plan? SME owners often risk starving personal wealth by betting everything on a future sale. Howie Lim learns the essential strategies for valuing your business, achieving tax-smart profit extraction, and building a separate, resilient retirement portfolio from Grace Tay, associate director, finexis advisory. Stop risking...

This week on Market Focus Weekly, Vikas Pershad from M&G Investments joins host Emily Liu to unpack the Fed’s latest “hawkish cut” and what a higher neutral rate means for Asia in 2026. Plus, silver’s stunning surge, Korea’s soaring equities despite a shaky won, and why Nvidia’s new China-approved chips matter for the AI race.  And, China’s deepen...

Headline news for December 12, 2025: Political upheavals in Europe, sanctions pressure in Venezuela and early polls for Thailand, while Asian markets steady after the Fed’s cut and Singapore buyers chase smaller landed homes. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Produced...

Market news for December 11, 2025: Divided US Fed lowers rates by 25 bps , signals pause and one 2026 cut; Asian markets mixe d post Fed cut; Malaysia to break ground on Southern Agropolis in January, unlocking ‘plug-and-play’ food hub for JS-SEZ. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by  The Business Times that looks at the day’s market movements and news f...

Headline news for December 11, 2025: The Fed cuts rates again but signals restraint, US bombers fly with Japan, Mexico slaps tariffs on Asian imports, fighting flares on Thailand’s border, and Singapore trains with China in urban counter-terror drills. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@s...

Navigating professional services today demands purpose and future-readiness. Hear Deloitte’s country managing partner, Shariq Barmaky, and recent graduate, Chan Juin Jieg, discuss how multidisciplinary expertise, continuous learning, and mentorship unlock career growth amidst global shifts and emerging tech like AI. Discover the path to thriving in a dynamic economy. Synopsis: The Business T...

Market news for December 10, 2025: Asian stocks in retreat as traders eye Fed decision, tech earnings; Gold edges lower as dollar climbs to near one-week high ahead of Fed verdict; Amazon to invest over US$35 billion in India on AI, exports; Indonesia pushes back on Bali’s plan to ban Airbnb rentals . Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by  The Business Times that loo...

Dubai is engineering its future with uncommon precision. In this episode of Lens on Singapore, Claressa Monteiro speaks with Dr Marwan Al Zarouni, CEO of Artificial Intelligence at the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, and Mohammad Alblooshi, CEO of DIFC Innovation Hub, to unpack how AI, governance and digital assets are being built into Dubai’s economic architecture.  From the D...

Market news for December 9, 2025: Most markets track Wall St losses amid jitters about Fed rate trajectory; Nvidia wins Trump’s approval to sell H200 AI chips in China ; Gold rises but investors stay cautious about ‘hawkish’ Fed tone; Singapore hiring outlook hits 4-year low. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by  The Business Times that looks at the day&...

Headline news for December 9, 2025: Japan and China trade barbs as Ukraine revises its peace pitch, Thailand and Cambodia clash anew, media giants battle for Warner Bros, while Singapore hikes postal rates and cracks down on deceptive online retail tactics. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sp...

Asia is on the cusp of a massive US$6 trillion wealth transfer — but with great wealth comes great complexity.  In this episode of WealthBT, host Genevieve Cua speaks with Victor Aerni, CEO, Pictet Wealth Management Asia, about the forces reshaping intergenerational succession.  From the rise of “100-year CEOs” to blended families and globalised heirs, Victor explains w...

Headline news for December 8, 2025: Ukraine and Gaza peace talks inch forward, Hong Kong’s tightly controlled election draws thin turnout, Thai-Cambodian tensions flare again, Japan’s wage squeeze deepens ahead of a likely rate hike, and Singapore restores East-West Line services early. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by:...

Future-proof your finances? That's what your advisor wants you to believe. Chris Miles, the anti-financial advisor, rips up the rulebook on saving for the "long haul," the myth of "money making money," and why high-risk is just high nonsense. Howie Lim gets the real cheat code from him.  Synopsis: Every Monday, The Business Times breaks down useful financial tips. Highlights: 00:42 The 'long...

As the Fed gears up for its last meeting of 2025, markets are buzzing about another potential rate cut. Saxo Bank’s Charu Chanana helps host Emily Liu decode the mixed economic signals coming out of the US and Japan.  We also dive into Singapore’s market movers: Ultra Green AI’s impressive debut and OCBC’s record-breaking run. What’s driving the excitement, and w...

Headline news for December 5, 2025: President Putin heads to India to shore up trade, Europe tightens crypto oversight, Britain and Norway deepen sub-hunting defence ties, Southeast Asia cracks down on scam networks, and Singapore and Malaysia advance long-standing bilateral projects. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Cl...

Market news for December 4, 2025: Asian markets stumble as traders struggle to hold Fed cut rally; China steps in to slow yuan gains; Ringgit rally, fiscal strength fuel Malaysia’s bond momentum; Seoul’s red-hot housing price rally continues. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by  The Business Times that looks at the day’s market movements and news from S...

Headline news for December 4, 2025: A Pentagon probe flags mishandled strike data, President Trump moves to weaken fuel economy rules, Hong Kong’s fire toll rises, Thailand seizes major scam assets, and GXS Bank job cuts. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Produced and...

Market news for December 3, 2025: Most Asian markets mixed as traders await key US data; Indian rupee weakens past 90 per US dollar; UltraGreen.ai shares up 7.6% at midday on SGX trading debut in largest non-Reit IPO since 2017; OCBC shares continue record-breaking streak to hit S$18.95 as wealth unit shines. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by  The Business Times that l...

Market news for December 2, 2025: Stocks unsteady amid Bitcoin and global bond selloff; OCBC’s shares hit record as wealth unit shines; M ore employers plan to freeze hiring , moderate wages as business sentiment dips. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by  The Business Times that looks at the day’s market movements and news from Singapore and the region. Writt...

Headline news for December 3, 2025: U.S.–Russia talks fail to advance a Ukraine peace deal; President Trump scraps all President Biden autopen documents; Malaysia juggles China–U.S. pressures; Japan’s services stay resilient; and Singapore employers brace for hiring freezes and wage restraint. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times. ...

Family offices are rapidly reshaping Asia's wealth landscape, demanding institutional-grade private equity access. Join Howie Lim and Moonfare's Adam Banks to navigate this complex market and discover how Moonfare curates top-tier 'hidden gem' opportunities, leverages tech to lower barriers, and balances democratised access with the exclusivity ultra-high-net-worth clients demand. Synopsis: The Bu...