Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

We're going to be talking all about K-POP today. Earlier this month, a company called Contents Technologies launched a new exchange traded fund focused on listed firms in Korea that benefits from the Kpop culture.  Companies include big names such as HYBE - the agency behind South Korean boy band phenomenon BTS, SM Entertainment - who’s managing Girls Generation and YG Entertainment which is behin...

Phase two of the Cross Island MRT line will comprise six stations from Turf City to Jurong Lake District. CRL phase two is slated to open by 2032, with construction works expected to begin in 2023. In The Straits Times’ The Big Story, Multimedia journalist Hairianto Dirman speaks with Senior transport correspondent Christopher Tan for more on these developments.  See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

How can investors prepare their portfolios for a recession? Prime Time's Bharati Jagdish speaks with William Lim, Financial Services Manager, PhillipCapital for the implications of a recession for retail investors, the challenges and risks that a recession may pose to investors, as well as how financial institutions can help investors safeguard their investments. See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

After days of lying-in-state, the body of the late Queen Elizabeth II has started its final journey on Monday, as part of a grand state funeral. Life will come to a standstill for millions as the UK says goodbye to the Queen. It will be a day of emotion, pomp and ceremony, the likes of which has not been seen since the last state funeral, of Winston Churchill, almost 60 years ago.  Buckingham Pala...

Synopsis: Every Tuesday, The Straits Times analyses Singapore's latest news and announcements.  The Straits Times' Zakir Hussain, Singapore editor at The Straits Times, speaks with Money FM 89.3's Bharati Jagdish. Singapore’s Mice (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) industry is bouncing back strongly after being hit badly by the Covid-19 pandemic, with around 25 events timed around...

Employment in the second quarter of this year has recovered to near pre-pandemic levels, but  the Ministry of Manpower has warned of uncertainty ahead. Resident employment grew to 4.2 per cent above the pre-pandemic level in June. While non-resident employment remained 10 per cent below the pre-pandemic level, it increased significantly from the first quarter of the year following the relaxation o...

Central bank action continues to dominate the headlines this week with the US Federal Reserve set to announce its rate decision midweek, and the Bank of Japan and Bank of England following suit thereafter. Investors in the meantime will also face a slew of August inflation reports coming out of countries such as Japan and back home in Singapore. How would these developments weigh on major economie...

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mao Ning, has urged the US to “fully understand the extremely important and highly sensitive nature of the Taiwan question and abide by the one China principle” at a news briefing in Beijing. His comments came after US President Joe Biden said that its military forces will defend Taiwan if there is “an unprecedented attack”, underscoring America’s commitment to...

Global equity markets have been rather volatile mid-week after stronger-than-expected US inflation data triggered fears of more aggressive rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve. But where exactly would the Fed go? While the US is expected to be tackling inflation head on, China is holding its key rate or the one-year medium-term lending facility unchanged at 2.75% - what does this mean for its econ...

The gaming market here is expected to be worth US$138 million by 2024, and the Singapore Tourism Board has even taken notice of this growth as it implements a tour of gaming hotspots in Singapore. In the Spotlight on Prime Time, Bharati Jagdish speaks with Jonathan Ye, the founder of Lockdown Escape - one of Singapore's premier destinations for escape room games and one of the few companies in the...

Amid increased stakeholder pressure on environmental, social and governance factors, tax transparency is now a major consideration for businesses striving to comply with regulations. How should Asia Pacific's ESG agenda follow suit? Prime Time's Bharati Jagdish finds out from Michel Feijen, Managing Director, Sales, APAC of MetricStream . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the most legendary careers in sports is coming to an end as tennis icon Roger Federer announced he will retire after the Layver Cup in London. In a statement released on social media, 41-year-old Federer cites age and recurring injuries as the reasons for his decision. In The Straits Times’ The Big Story Multimedia Correspondent Cheow Sue-Ann and Assistant Sports Editor, Rohit Brijnath weig...

It’s been called a game changer for the entire crypto sector. Crypto's most important commercial highway, Ethereum, just got repaved. The blockchain network has completed the crypto world's biggest and most ambitious software upgrade to date.  So what’s next? What are experts watching out for and what can investors expect from the Ethereum 2.0 shake-up? Prime Time’s Bharati Jagdish speaks with Bri...

In today’s increasingly digitalized world, organisations are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify and mitigate threats. However, cybercriminals are also taking advantage of the same technologies to launch their attacks. How can organisations stay one step ahead of malicious threat actors? Prime Time’s Bharati Jagdish finds out from David Chan, Managing Dir...

A 22-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment and 15 strokes of the cane after he pleaded guilty to a charge of murder in what prosecutors said was a "senseless" killing. Surajsrikan Diwakar Mani Tripathi admitted he stabbed and slashed Tay Rui Hao, an assistant manager at a sports apparel store, near a bus stop in Punggol Field on May 10, 2020. In The Straits Times’ The Big Story, Multimed...

Up in the Low Earth Orbit, anywhere between 160 and 1,000km above ground, is where about 4,500 satellites operate for geo-imaging and telecommunications purposes.  But while businesses are launching satellites into space, no one takes ownership for clearing up the debris of old satellites, increasing the risks of them bumping into one another in space.  That creates an opportunity for companies to...

The 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is likely to be overshadowed by the Xi-Putin face-to-face meeting in Uzbekistan. Geo-political observers will be paying close attention to what is going to happen from the summit as well as their meeting. So what’s at stake, what are the optics and what’s in it for the key players? Prime Time's Bharati...

Companies such as Starbucks, KFC and Tesla seem to have accepted and introduced cryptocurrency as a payment method. For proponents, this means it can be a new frontier in secure contactless payment. However, challenges in such a process include risks requiring better management and customer onboarding. In the Spotlight on Prime Time, Bharati Jagdish speaks with Zen Yong, CEO, and Co-Founder, Web3A...

We take a break from macroeconomic analysis today to look at venture capital investments today. Insignia Venture has invested in a number of startups including B2B marketplace Eezee, plant-based meat alternative company Growthwell, financial service provider Fazz, and Indonesia’s superapp Goto, which had recently gone public via an Initial Public Offering.  On Market View, Prime Time's Finance Pre...

Football Association of Singapore president Lim Kia Tong died on Wednesday. He was 70. Lim is believed to have suffered a heart attack. He was found collapsed in his office when he did not turn up for a hearing. In The Straits Times’ The Big Story, Sports correspondent Sazali Abdul Aziz shares more on Lim's contributions to the football world as well as the legacy he left behind. See omnystudio.co...

Sustainability has been a key concern of Chief Financial Officers for quite a while. However, burdens from the costs and regulations of sustainability is relatively remarkable, the privilege of pursuing it so far has not been very quantifiable. In the sweep of Covid-19 pandemic, challenges related to such issues are more well-aware.   Prime Time’s Bharati Jagdish speaks with  Bhavik Vashi, Area Vi...

Currency news take the center stage today, as we break down key movements in major currencies, including the US dollar. We're also keeping our eyes on Europe, where the shared currency has jumped to a more than three- week high against the dollar recently.  Back in Asia, the Japanese Yen's weakness against the dollar has drawn some warnings from central bank officials, but how likely is it for aut...

The Great Resignation, which saw droves of workers leave their jobs or switch careers, may still be going strong — but another new workplace phenomenon is emerging: “quiet quitting.” What is “quiet quitting” and why is it trending in the workplace? In the Spotlight on Prime Time, Bharati Jagdish speaks with Frank Koo, Head of APAC Talent Solutions, LinkedIn, a professional networking platform, to...

The Consumers Association of Singapore wants stronger protection for passengers bumped off overbooked trips. This comes after more than 100 customers were denied boarding cruise ship Genting Dream on Sept 4 due to overbooking. In The Straits Times’ The Big Story, Multimedia correspondent Cheow Sue-Ann spoke with Case president Melvin Yong to find out more.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Soaring property prices and record rental fees have forced many Singaporeans to look for other housing options. As a result, co-living has become quite a popular alternative for those on a budget. Prime Time’s Bharati Jagdish speaks with Ernee Ong, Co-Founder of Bespoke Habitat, a room rental and shared space co-living specialist, to find out more.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...