Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

TikTok’s future in the US has been hanging by a thread, caught between national security concerns, political battles, and calls for divestment. Now, ByteDance has unveiled a plan: a US-based joint venture with American and global investors, keeping only a minority stake for itself. Oracle will oversee data security, and TikTok says the new structure will operate independently. But does this...

Singapore shares inched higher today to track gains seen across Asia.  The Straits Times Index was up 0.15% at 4,577.44 points at 3.11pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$749.75M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch for today, we have Stoneweg Europe Stapled Trust.  That’s after the managers of Stoneweg Europe Stapled Trust said it has entered into an...

Welcome to the Friday edition of What's Trending! Hongbin Jeong and Nadiah Koh get festive as they unpack a Christmas chart twist: Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You has been dethroned by Wham!’s Last Christmas. Is the Queen of Christmas losing her crown, or still winning where it counts? They also dive into a viral story from South Korea, where a 20-year-old LG a...

Travelling to China just got a digital upgrade. Singaporeans can now use China’s e-CNY, the digital renminbi, through a new pilot program that lets travellers top up digital wallets directly from their Singapore bank accounts. But what does this mean beyond convenience? Is it simply another payment option, or part of a larger plan to expand China’s currency influence globally? On The B...

For the first time, a tokenized fund will be open to the public, thanks to MAS approval for a collaboration between Franklin Templeton and DBS. Could this be the start of a whole new way to invest, diversify, and engage with the market. On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Jason Jiang, CBO at CertiK , to find out more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s now time for a Special, year-end edition of Market View, where we not only take you though how the Singapore stock market closed for the day, but also step back to examine three key themes that have shaped markets over the year, and will continue to matter as we head into 2026. The three themes are: First, whether the global AI boom can move beyond hype and experimentation into a phase...

Welcome to another episode of What's Trending! Today’s headlines are pure chaos and Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Nazirul Asrar break it all down. Lawmakers in Mexico’s Congress took their debate way too far, resorting to armpit tickling and grappling on the chamber floor. Meanwhile, a KLM flight to Aruba was canceled thanks to an unexpected stowaway: a rat with apparently bigger...

Singapore’s key exports surged 11.6% in November, well above expectations, driven by strong growth in pharmaceuticals and electronics. Over in Japan, exports rose 6.1%, led by robust demand from the US and Europe, even as shipments to China fell. Still in Asia, the Indian rupee hit fresh record lows, highlighting continued currency pressures across emerging markets.  On Market View, Ale...

Geopolitics, higher tariffs, and a global supply-chain reset are changing where money flows, and that shift is only picking up pace into 2026. Aberdeen’s latest outlook lays out six big macro forces shaping the year ahead. So what does this mean for emerging markets? Who stands to gain, and who could be left facing fresh headwinds? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to  Michael Lan...

5G networks are rolling out across the region, promising faster speeds and better connectivity.  But concerns have emerged about whether these high-speed signals could interfere with aircraft systems, especially during critical phases like landing.  So far in Singapore, authorities say there have been no reported issues, but globally, regulators and airlines are keeping a close eye on th...

Welcome to the another day of What’s Trending! In this episode, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Alexandra Parada scratch their heads over Merriam-Webster’s 2025 Word of the Year, “slop" because apparently our feeds are now officially a digital soup of nonsense, and Secret Santa disasters that went way too far, from awkward gifts to painfully timed “jokes” in the of...

Singapore Airlines reported a 2.6% year-on-year increase in passenger traffic in November, reaching 13.3 billion passenger-kilometres, slightly outpacing the 2.2% growth in capacity across its full-service and budget carriers. In Japan, the latest PMI data showed manufacturing activity remained in contraction at 49.7, though improving from 48.7 in November, while services growth eased slightly to...

The number of families receiving ComCare’s Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance (SMTA) fell to a five-year low in 2024, reflecting improvements in the economy, the job market, and other government support programs. And while short-term financial aid helps families meet their basic needs, nearly half of households who left SMTA in 2021 returned for assistance within three years, highlighting ongoi...

According to a survey from Sun Life, amongst Singapore respondents, 67% said they worry their wealth won’t outlast their children, and only half expressed full confidence that their heirs would honour their wishes or preserve and grow inherited assets. The survey highlighted a significant preparedness gap: whilst many recognise the importance of planning, only 43% feel fully prepared today....

Welcome to the second day of What’s Trending! In this episode, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Alexandra Parada dive into the internet’s most talked-about moments of the day, from a Singaporean who turned down a S$1.3 million offer for a rare Pokémon card in hopes it’ll be worth even more, to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s Spotify Wrapped sparking online chatter....

ESR REIT proposes to divest eight non-core Singapore assets for S$338.1 million, offering insights into capital recycling and balance-sheet management. Also in Singapore, OUE REIT has announced a S$100 million unsecured loan facility, raising questions about refinancing, liquidity, and investor sentiment in the current funding environment. In Asia, Japan’s latest Tankan survey showed large m...

As 2026 approaches, Singapore employees can expect moderate salary increases averaging 3 to 6 percent, as companies take a cautious approach amid ongoing economic uncertainty. According to a survey by ManpowerGroup and other HR firms, bonuses are also moderating, with more employers offering just one month or smaller payouts. Job switchers, however, can expect higher increases of 5 to 15 percent....

Welcome to the return of What’s Trending!  In this episode, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Alexandra Parada spoke all about Taylor Swift’s jaw-dropping $254 million tour bonuses, Dracula Land — a billion-euro vampire-themed park and tech hub in Romania — and a fiery debate over airline birthday cakes. From generosity and mega-bonuses to blockchain bats and in-flight des...

As 2025 winds down, investors are taking stock of a year full of twists and turns. From NVIDIA’s blockbuster earnings boosting global tech sentiment to Singapore’s economy outperforming expectations with GDP growth tipped around 4%, there have been plenty of highlights, but the market volatility has been a stark reminder of the importance of staying strategically positioned. Should you...

The US could soon ask travellers, including those from Singapore, to share up to five years of social media history as part of immigration checks. Is this a step toward national security or an overreach that will make travel more complicated and intrusive? On The Big Story, Nadiah Koh speaks with Cedomir Nestorovic, Professor of Geopolitics, ESSEC Business School, Asia-Pacific to break down the mo...

Emerging market bonds are stealing the spotlight in global fixed income this year. With local-currency debt up nearly 14% and hard-currency debt climbing 8.7% by August 2025, investors are asking: how can EM bonds strengthen your portfolio? From managing currency and credit risks to spotting the regions offering the best risk-adjusted returns, we break down what’s driving the EM bond story t...

Finding the perfect engagement ring is often seen as a milestone, but for many couples, the process can feel overwhelming or disconnected from the love it’s meant to celebrate. Cherish & Co is a bespoke jewelry studio redefining what an engagement ring experience can look like. From transforming your love story into a meaningful design to creating pieces that are deeply personal and symb...

Singapore shares rose today, tracking gains seen across Asian markets. The Straits Times Index was up 1.26% at 4,577.92 points at 1.15pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$816.74M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch for today, we have CDL, UOL, and GuocoLand, after DBS Research took a bullish stance on Singapore property counters, initiating a sector-wide lift in its...

What if you could give someone a song made just for them, a melody that tells their story, captures their emotions, and celebrates their journey? Lyrica Song Gift, is Singapore’s first and only company creating personalised songs for weddings, branding, and life’s most meaningful moments. Every lyric and melody becomes a musical keepsake, turning memories into a gift that no traditiona...

Singapore’s latest job figures show signs of strain. Retrenchments edged up in the third quarter, job vacancies continued to fall, and more firms are planning layoffs. That’s all according to the Ministry of Manpower’s third quarter labour report released earlier today. At the same time, overall employment is still growing and there are still more job openings than unemploye...