Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

Singapore stocks opened slightly weaker today as banks and index counters started the morning mixed. In early trade, the Straits Times Index headed down 0.1 per cent to 3,109.81 points after 62.6 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, Vertex Technology Acquisition Corporation announced today that it will issue 600,000 new shares at S$5 apiece to pri...

The idea of investing in an art form has gained popularity in 2023. It is an attractive alternative asset class which diversifies one's portfolio, helps to mitigate risk, and can align with wealth preservation goals.  But who is investing in art and for what reasons? And how can one incorporate art in their investment strategy?  Nanne Dekking, Founder and CEO, Artory & Elizabeth von Habsburg,...

It is highly likely that artificial intelligence will be regulated and in some ways, it already has. According to a joint paper seen by Reuters, an agreement on how AI should be regulated in the future has been reached by Germany, France and Italy, and this is expected to accelerate negotiations at the European level. But are all these upcoming regulations sufficient to rein in AI?  Paul Tan, Part...

From what China has gained from its President Xi Jinping meeting up with his US counterpart Joe Biden last week in San Francisco to China set to mimic Singapore housing model.  Dr. Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow, Singapore Institute of International Affairs gives us an analysis of those headlines and more.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For this session, we talk to a company whose ticker symbol only has one letter.  Bingo if you’ve guessed Visa. On that note, did you know that Visa was actually founded by the Bank of America when it launched its first consumer credit card programme in the US?  Well, a lot has happened since, with the firm expanding internationally in 1974 and the introduction of the debit card in 1975.  Fast forw...

With 109 caps for Singapore and counting, Safuwan Baharudin is a household name in the local game. But having had to miss out on being a part of the National Team after he was not cleared by the Football Association of Singapore’s (FAS) medical team following successive head injuries - the 32-year old has made a return to the fold with a point to prove. What are his motivations, aims and ambitions...

Imagine having the taste of success at the tip of your tongue, only to have it slip away with the loss of your partners at the peak of your business. In spite of this, bespoke jewellery atelier, The Better Diamond is now one of Singapore’s leading specialists in lab-grown diamonds, that has seen a remarkable 1,100 percent growth within its first two years of establishment.  Adeline Lin & Marcu...

Singapore stocks started the week on a softer note today, led by declines from banks and other index counters. In early trade, the Straits Times Index headed down 0.4 per cent to 3,112.44 points, after 29.7 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch for today, we have Singtel, after its Australian unit Optus’ chief executive, Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, has re...

Supporting financial institutions in their efforts to leverage technology and transform digitally. That’s what we are going to talk about in this session with my guest from Temus.  Established by Temasek in partnership with UST, Temus provides digital transformation solutions for the private and public sectors, and aspires to be a strategic partner in realising the Singapore Government’s Smart Nat...

In a sudden move, billionaire and AI evangelist Sam Altman has been fired as CEO of OpenAI. What does the surprise sacking mean for the AI race? The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum is over, but what did US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping accomplish? Elsewhere, as the conflict in Gaza continues to rage on, has the US been able to successfully broker a ceasefire deal wit...

With an increasing focus on health and wellness, consumers are becoming more conscious about the ingredients used in their food. And in line with that, Glico has collaborated with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in a first-of-its-kind clinical test in Southeast Asia to study the nutritional and health benefits of almonds in the paste form. Hideaki Nagahisa, COO, Glico Asia...

According to Microsoft's fourth annual Digital Defense Report, in the past year, cyberattacks have touched 120 countries, fueled by government-sponsored spying and with influence operations (IO) also rising.  Dennis Chung, Chief Security Officer, Microsoft Singapore shares more with us the findings from this report and the company's role in fighting cyber criminals.  See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

The 8th edition of the Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) has wrapped up and this year’s theme centered around “The Application of AI in Financial Services”. Many talks were lined up from industry leaders and experts who shared the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities. Sopnendu Mohanty, Chief Fintech Officer, Monetary Authority of Singapore gives us a roundup of SFF 2023 and the highlights f...

Singapore shares struggled to advance at the open today, as a mixed performance on global stock markets clashed with a better-than-expected performance of the country’s October non-oil domestic exports (NODX). To recap, data from Enterprise Singapore showed that NODX shrank 3.4 per cent year on year, easing from steeper falls in preceding months.  In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) head...

It has been close to four months since our earlier interview with the CEO of HSBC Singapore Kee Joo Wong.  At the time, we talked about HSBC’s new Innovation Banking Unit carved out from the UK subsidiary of SVB, and whether HSBC would move into catering services for players in the VC and startup landscape. Kee Joo told me to keep a lookout for an interesting development out of the unit that will...

Could we see a Singaporean in Formula 1, the pinnacle of motorsport, very soon? We certainly could, with 17-year old Christian Ho blazing a trail in the Spanish F4 Championship, and soon set to make the step up to Eurocup-3 series with Campos Racing. We catch up with the man himself on his 2023 exploits, and what the future holds! READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/singaporean-teen-chri...

2023 marks Timbre Group’s 18th anniversary and now the group is a gearing up for expansion plans that will shape its future for the next 18 years and more. Danny Loong, Founder & CEO, Timbre Group shares more with us on his future plans for Timbre Group.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore stocks opened weaker today amid heavy trading on real estate investment trusts and declines among index counters. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) headed down 0.5 per cent to 3,115.97 points after 52.6 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Singapore Airlines. The national carrier yesterday posted a 24.5 per cent year-...

The city of Manchester is synonymous with some of the world’s best football clubs, players and music bands. But what about the city's potential as one of UK’s top property markets? Much like how he redefined football as part of the legendary Class of ‘92, football star turned property developer Gary Neville is spearheading a regeneration project for Manchester city centre with the upcoming luxurio...

Seven years ago, David Cameron left Downing Street after his big gamble to hold a referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union backfired and brought his six-year term as prime minister to an end. Now, he has been appointed foreign secretary by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Will David Cameron’s return to government help Rishi Sunak going in to the next general election?  Cedomir Nestorovi...

The National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS) has recently celebrated its 15th anniversary. And the centre celebrated its anniversary with a family carnival, which also saw the launch of a new “NCIS Fights Cancer” interactive mobile game. Adjunct Associate Professor Chee Cheng Ean, Executive Director of National Cancer Institute, Singapore tell us more about this mobile game and the f...

Did you know that Poland is becoming an increasingly attractive and leading market for activities in financial innovation due to its well-developed infrastructure, quality business environment and outstanding talent?  In fact, the country boasts half a million IT professionals, the most in the Central East European region. Not only that, Poland also consistently ranks among the top three countries...

The highly anticipated 2023 Singapore Squash Open, which returns to the Lion City after its resounding success last year, will feature 48 of the world’s top squash athletes vying for a combined prize purse of US$220,000,  This tournament marks one of the first major competitions since squash was officially included in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.  World No.1 Ali Farag & Singapore squash...

You might have heard of Stormtroopers in the Star Wars franchise. But what about YouTroopers?   Well, YouTroopers is a term used to describe globetrotters who use multi-currency mobile wallets and prepaid debit cards by fintech startup YouTrip! Launched in 2018, YouTrip is a regional financial technology startup that seeks to empower people with a smarter and more convenient way to pay in foreign...

Imagine energy-efficient household appliances, sustainable construction practices, and the realisation of net-zero energy buildings.  This is a future made possible through the novel tech solution offered by Thermalytica who has emerged as the winner of the grand prize at the finals of SLINGSHOT 2023, held during the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) flagship conference.   Rudde...