Claim OwnershipMoney Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian
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Money Matters is your guide to navigating the day's most important topics, from politics and current affairs to wealth management and trending issues. Every evening, the team delivers insightful discussions on business news, market movements, and the latest in alternative assets. Whether navigating the political landscape, understanding the economy, or uncovering emerging investment opportunities, Money Matters keeps you informed and ahead of the curve. Tune in daily to Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian from 4 pm to 7 pm on MONEY FM 89.3.
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On Apr 2, US President Donald Trump delivered his first prime-time address since the US-Israeli war in Iran erupted on Feb 28, claiming major military victories against Iran’s navy, air force, and missile capabilities.Yet he offered no clear timeline for ending the conflict. With Trump’s approval rating at a low 36% and Iran’s enriched uranium still largely intact, questions linger: was this speech aimed at reassuring Americans, or boosting support ahead of the midterms? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Dr. Samir Puri, author of Westlessness and Visiting Lecturer in War Studies at King’s College London, to find out more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The “Sell America” narrative has resurfaced amid rising geopolitical tensions and a more assertive US policy stance, but markets suggest a more nuanced reality. US equities remain supported, Treasuries continue to attract demand, and foreign investors are still allocating into US assets. Instead, the adjustment appears to be happening through the US dollar, while gold is gaining prominence as a key hedge against policy uncertainty and shifting global dynamics. On The Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Arun Sai, Senior Multi-Asset Strategist at Pictet Asset Management, on why this may be less about exiting US markets and more about reducing USD exposure and building gold as a structural hedge.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What do laser-filled highways and your cringey teenage email have in common? They’re both trying to fix problems we didn’t think had solutions. On What's Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Nadiah Koh head to China where drivers are being kept awake by full-on laser light shows on highways. Is it genius… or just dangerously distracting? Then, we switch gears to something way more personal: your email address. After years of being stuck with usernames you’d never say out loud in a meeting, Gmail might finally let you change it, without losing your entire digital life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Singapore shares slid today as investors continue to mull US President Donald Trump’s address on the war in the Middle East. The Straits Times Index fell 0.76% to 4,937.86 points at 2.41pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.09B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have ST Engineering, after it announced yesterday that its marine business has secured a six-year subcontract valued at an estimated S$600 million from Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB), a shipbuilder based in the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, from how regional markets moved post-Trump’s address to how CapitaLand Investment plans to accelerate its capital recycling efforts and is evaluating “structural solutions” for its assets in China, more financial and corporate headlines remained in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director, Azure Capital. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
After years of seemingly unstoppable growth, Singapore’s housing market is showing its first signs of change. HDB resale prices have dipped 0.1% in the first quarter of 2026, the first quarterly decline in almost seven years. Meanwhile, resale transactions have also eased slightly, down 4.5% from last year. What does this mean for homeowners and buyers? Could this be the start of a more balanced, affordable market or just a brief pause before prices climb again? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Nicholas Mak, Chief Research Officer, MOGUL.sg, to find out more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Gold and silver are doing something that markets don’t usually expect in a moment like this; they’re falling, not rising, even as geopolitical tensions from the Iran conflict keep energy prices high and uncertainty elevated. So what’s really going on? Is this the end of the traditional safe-haven trade, or just a temporary distortion driven by stronger yields, a firmer US dollar, and shifting Federal Reserve expectations? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Lim Jun Kit, Senior Strategist, Phillip Nova, for more insights.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Nadiah Koh dive into the most viral stories circulating online. First, a five-year-old opens her green packet on Hari Raya… only to find no money inside the envelope, just a note that says ‘Better Luck Next Time’. Is this a heartless prank, life lesson, or just plain awkward? Then, they pivot to something a little greener, literally. A new study shows more people are venting to their houseplants, and some claim their leafy friends even respond. From wilting ferns to a Monstera that ‘talks back’, they explore this trend and the upcoming AI plant translator that promises to turn your plants into your personal life coaches.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Stocks staged a powerful rebound overnight as fresh geopolitical optimism lifted global sentiment. In the US, markets surged on reports suggesting a de-escalation in the Iran conflict, with investors hopeful that an end to hostilities could be within reach. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1,125 points, or 2.5%, to close at 46,341. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 climbed 2.9% to 6,528, and the Nasdaq Composite rallied 3.8% to finish at 21,591, marking the strongest session for all three major indices since May last year. The positive momentum carried into Asia, where markets broadly closed higher, with Singapore also ending firmly in the green. On Market View, Sean Cheong speaks to Dan Chang, a trading representative from PhillipCapital, to break down the latest market movements.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Finance, football and fireworks - the Lion's homecoming match in celebration of securing qualification to the 2027 Asian Cup had it all. From 3 points to seal an unbeaten group stage campaign, to 30,000 fans in attendance...Plus a landmark $50 million boost to Singapore’s football ecosystem from Forrest Li’s Sea Limited. Sports Minutes has the details! Sports Minutes with Deepanraj Ganesan, sports reporter with The Straits Times, has the details. READ MORE:https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/tech-company-sea-donates-50-million-to-support-spore-football-development Got a story to tell? Get in touch!raushan@sph.com.sg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Healthcare in Singapore is getting more expensive, and fast. The latest WTW Global Medical Trends Report predicts medical costs could jump 16.9% in 2026, up from 15.5% last year and just over 12% in 2024, putting Singapore at the top of the Asia-Pacific chart. At the same time, new insurance rules coming into effect this April mean patients may have to pay more out of pocket before coverage kicks in, even as premiums for some plans dip. What’s behind these rising costs? Is healthcare becoming less affordable for everyday Singaporeans? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Dr Akshar Saxena, Assistant Professor of Economics at Nanyang Technological University, to find out more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nearly half of Bitcoin’s supply is now underwater, long-term holders are selling at multi-year losses, and market stress indicators are flashing red. Yet prices remain relatively stable, creating a growing disconnect between sentiment and price action. With investors increasingly hedging for downside risk and some calling for a move back to US$50,000, the question is whether this is a warning sign of deeper weakness or a setup for the next rally. On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Zann Kwan, Managing Partner & CIO, Revo Digital Family Office, on whether this divergence between price and positioning can hold, how investors are managing downside risk, and what would trigger a deeper sell-off from here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Alexandra Parada dive into the rising trend of pet luxury, as a woman in Shanghai spends around S$2,200 a month to send her dog to “kindergarten” with complete with training, social activities and even a school bus.Then, they unpack a bizarre heist in Europe involving over 413,000 stolen KitKat bars, exploring how such a massive shipment could vanish and what happens when crime turns into a logistical challenge.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Global sentiment saw some improvement as US futures turned positive, following reassuring comments from Donald Trump and Jerome Powell. Volatility remains a key theme, with the CBOE Volatility Index climbing above 30 and rising sharply this month. The move signals elevated fear and rapid risk repricing, raising questions on whether this spike is temporary or the start of more sustained market stress. On oil, talk of prices potentially reaching $200, while not a base case, highlights the risks ahead. Such a scenario would likely push inflation higher, pressure growth, and add further volatility across global markets. On Market View, Sean Cheong speaks to David Chow of Azure Capital to break down the latest market movements.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Donald Trump is pushing a controversial idea which is taking control of Iran’s Kharg Island, the country’s most critical oil export hub, as tensions between the US, Israel, and Iran continue to escalate. In the midst of this, Pakistan has stepped forward, offering to host “meaningful talks” between Washington and Tehran, a diplomatic opening that comes even as the threat of further escalation looms. On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Associate Professor Jessica Genauer, Academic Director of the Public Policy Institute at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), on why Kharg Island is central to Iran’s oil exports, whether the US could realistically seize and hold it, and how such a move could impact Iran’s war effort and global oil prices.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bank of America’s move into art consulting signals a broader shift toward treating art as a financeable, allocatable asset within wealth portfolios. With banks like JPMorgan, UBS, and Citi scaling similar capabilities, art is becoming more embedded in discussions around liquidity, risk, and returns. On The Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Grace Lau, Founder and CEO of ArtWise, to break down how institutional involvement is reshaping art as an asset class and what that means for returns, risk, and allocation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Alexandra Parada dive into how a US man in Japan used AI to solve a late-night hotel aircon problem, before unpacking the viral “office air theory” that claims your workplace can leave you looking tired and drained within hours. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Singapore shares inched higher today amid a bruising day for Asian equities. The Straits Times Index nudged 0.14% higher at 4,905.20 points at 2.31pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.22B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have DBS, given how the group has entered India’s buoyant equity capital market, marking a push into one of the world’s busiest venues for share sales. Elsewhere, from how Japan stepped up yen intervention threats and signalled that further falls in the currency could justify a near-term interest rate hike, to what to watch ahead of remarks from US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and the head of New York Fed John Williams, more international headlines remained in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with David Kuo, Co-founder, The Smart Investor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
After seeing his football career curtailed by injury, Shannon Stephen found himself searching for purpose. On Sports Minutes, he opens up about rediscovering that identity through Hyrox, and how the finish line has become his new final whistle.Got a story to tell? Get in touch!raushan@sph.com.sgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today we’re going to revisit a guest whose mission is to increase the GDP of not a country, but the internet. If it rings a bell, yes, we are indeed talking about Stripe, the payments processing company whose aim is to build the economic infrastructure for the internet. For starters, the San Francisco and Dublin headquartered firm assists customers from the world’s largest enterprises to budding startups in accepting payments, growing their revenue and tapping new business opportunities. More specifically, its service offerings cut across functions such as pricing, billing, checkouts, payment links, revenue recognition to invoicing and marketplace solutions. We are speaking to Stripe once again because a lot has happened since our last interview with the company in 2024. Per the firm’s latest annual letter, Stripe reached a valuation of a whopping US$159 billion as of 2026, climbing up from US$106.7 billion achieved in September 2025. So what are the key drivers of growth bolstering the numbers? Also – how is the firm preparing for a world enabled by artificial intelligence, with technologies such as agentic commerce set to shake up the online shopping landscape? Meanwhile, Stripe is also big on stablecoins, having in February 2025 acquired stablecoin orchestration platform Bridge for US$1.1 billion. But how has the firm tapped on the speed and cost advantages of stablecoins in its business thus far? On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Paul Harapin, Chief Revenue Officer, Asia Pacific & Japan, Stripe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Airfares are rising across Asia as jet fuel prices surge amid the Middle East conflict, putting pressure on airlines already operating on thin margins. And with costs climbing and supply disruptions hitting the region harder, carriers are being forced to balance fare hikes, cost absorption, and potential flight cuts. On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Brendan Sobie, an independent aviation analyst at Sobie Aviation, to unpack how severe the impact could be and what it means for airlines and travellers if the crisis drags on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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