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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After a red-hot start to 2026, Asian markets may finally be pausing for breath. Stocks across the region are heading for their first daily dip of the year, even after a powerful rally fuelled by AI optimism and bets on Fed rate cuts. But while the wider region cools, Singapore’s market is still flashing strength, with the STI coming off a stellar 2025 and fresh optimism it could climb to 5,000. So is this just a momentary market breather… or a signal for investors to rethink where the real opportunities lie in 2026? On Market View, Willie Keng speaks to Kenneth Goh, Director, Private Wealth Management, UOB Kay Hian, to find out more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Your next phone, laptop, or gaming rig could cost a lot more, and it’s not just inflation. Memory chips, the tiny components that make your devices run fast, are suddenly in short supply, and prices are soaring. From iPhone upgrades to high-end gaming PCs, Singaporeans are starting to feel the pinch. Why is this happening, and how long will it last? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Associate Professor Goh Puay Guan, Analytics and Operations Department, National University of Singapore’s Business School, to find out more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Markets didn’t panic. Stocks didn’t plunge. Oil barely budged. And yet, the US just carried out a military operation in Venezuela, removing a long-standing leader in a country sitting on the world’s largest oil reserves. So why the calm? Is this a geopolitical shock that investors are choosing to ignore, or one they don’t yet understand?On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Alicia García Herrero, Chief Economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis, to find out more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From bug funerals in Japan to workplace ghosting laws in Canada, and a post-holiday reset led by women in Ireland, on What's Trending today, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh, and Alexandra Parada start with a bizarre-but-thought-provoking story out of Japan, where an insecticide company has held memorial services for the bugs it’s killed for over 40 years. Then, we zoom into the job hunt, where Ontario has cracked down on employer ghosting, legally forcing companies to respond to interviewees. And finally, we lighten things up with Nollaig na mBan, or Women’s Christmas, an Irish tradition gaining global traction that encourages women to rest, recharge and reclaim some calm after the festive chaos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As Singapore football enters a new era, local coaches are finally being trusted with bigger responsibilities. Jaswinder Singh, assistant coach at Albirex Jurong, joins Sports Minutes to discuss his coaching journey, the grind behind earning the AFC Pro Licence, and the realities of carving a career around the beautiful game. Got a story to tell? Get in touch!raushan@sph.com.sgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2025 rewarded investors who stayed the course, powered by AI, solid earnings, and big spending. But as we step into 2026, the landscape feels more fragile. Valuations are stretched, traditional hedges are moving in sync, and a sudden geopolitical shock out of Venezuela has reminded markets how quickly the rules can change. So is this still the same cycle or a turning point? On Market View, Willie Keng speaks to Abhilash Narayan, Investment Strategist, HSBC Global Private Banking and Premier Wealth, to unpack HSBC’s Think Future 2026 outlook to find where the risks are building, and how investors should rethink portfolios for the year ahead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From kids chasing unconventional dreams to world leaders turning heads with fashion, and Japan’s auctions breaking all records, on What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Alexandra Parada dive into the extraordinary. We meet 12-year-old gaming prodigy Tarou, who plans to quit school to pursue esports full-time—with his parents fully on board. Then, we look at Nicolás Maduro, whose viral Nike Tech Fleece outfit after his capture had the internet buzzing. And if that’s not enough, we explored Japan’s New Year auctions, where a single tuna sold for US$3.2 million and cherries went for over S$200 each. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The world is watching closely after the US carried out a military operation in Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro. But the story doesn’t end there. In the days since, President Donald Trump has sent a series of sharp warnings to other countries. He hinted at possible military action in Colombia, told Mexico to “get its act together” on drugs, suggested the US “needs Greenland” for national security, and even name-checked Iran as a potential concern. These statements raise urgent questions: why is the US targeting these particular countries? Is this a serious threat or political posturing? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Kevin Chen, Associate Research Fellow with the US Programme at IDSS, RSIS, to find why these countries are on Trump’s wish list, and whether this marks a new era of US imperialism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ageing populations are often seen as a drag on growth, but new research suggests they could be one of the biggest investment opportunities ahead. So which markets and sectors stand to gain as technology steps in where labour falls short? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Maria Vassalou, Head of the Pictet Research Institute, to find out more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Over the weekend, the United States carried out its most direct intervention in Latin America in decades, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a military operation that stunned the world. President Donald Trump says Washington will now “run” Venezuela, as both Maduro and Flores face criminal charges in New York, including terrorism and drug-related offences. But can a superpower legally seize a sitting head of state? Does international law allow this or has a dangerous new precedent just been set? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Juan Zahir Naranjo Cáceres, a Colombian-Australian scholar and lecturer at the University of the Sunshine Coast, to unpack the legality of the operation, the geopolitical shockwaves across Latin America, and what this moment means for the global balance of power. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What if retirement didn’t have to wait until your 60s? A growing number of Singaporeans are choosing to press pause on their careers earlier, taking purposeful breaks known as “mini-retirements”. It’s a shift that’s changing how people think about money, work and what a successful life really looks like. On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Harpreet Bindra, CEO for HSBC Life Singapore, to find out more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Was 2025 the year markets finally found their footing… or just the calm before another storm?US stocks wrapped up the year on a high, but as 2026 begins, geopolitics is back in the spotlight.An unexpected US strike, rising tensions, and fresh uncertainty are already shaking investor confidence.So what’s really driving Wall Street right now, and how should investors be positioning themselves for what comes next? On Market View, Willie Keng speaks to Cedric Ho, Founder and Portfolio Manager, MAD Partnership, to find out more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Alexandra Parada discuss three very different stories that are trending today, from romance and creativity, to thrill-seeking retail, to serious population policy. First, a filmmaker went viral after proposing to his girlfriend by editing himself into a wedding scene from Shrek, then re-entering the room in the same suit to propose in real life. Over in Tokyo, a pop-up store is turning shopping into a silent adrenaline sport, charging customers to “steal” whatever they can carry in one minute, as long as they make absolutely no sound. And finally, in a much more contentious move, China has begun taxing condoms and other contraceptives in a bid to boost its falling birth rate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
They’re blamed, booed, and rarely praised, but what’s it really like to be a referee? Former Singapore Premier League official Andrea Verolino joins Sports Minutes to tackle VAR debates, referee reviews, and fan misconceptions head-on. From “referee kayu” chants to high-pressure nights at the National Stadium, this is an unfiltered look at football’s most scrutinised role.Got a story to tell? Get in touch!raushan@sph.com.sgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Singapore ended 2025 on a strong note. The economy grew by 4.8 per cent, beating earlier forecasts and clocking its fastest pace since 2021. Manufacturing surged, jobs stayed resilient, and exports were boosted by the AI boom. But here’s the real question, what do these big numbers actually mean for Singaporeans?Does stronger growth translate into better job prospects, higher pay, or a lower cost of living? And if growth is expected to slow in 2026, should we be preparing for tougher times ahead? To help us make sense of it all, on The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Selena Ling, Chief Economist and Head of OCBC Group Research at OCBC.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tech stocks have carried the market for years, fuelled by AI hype, blockbuster earnings and sky-high expectations. But as 2025 draws to a close, investors are starting to ask some uncomfortable questions. Are tech stocks still the engine of growth, or are warning lights flashing beneath the surface? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Danish Lim, Senior Investment Analyst, Phillip Nova, to take a closer look at whether the rally has more room to run, the risks hiding behind those valuations, and where investors might want to look as we head into 2026.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Singapore shares rose in the first trading session of 2026 today. The Straits Times Index was up 0.4% at 4,664.97 points at 12.31pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$418.45M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Nio, after the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker said it had new record-high monthly and quarterly deliveries. Meanwhile, from how Singapore’s economy expanded 4.8 per cent year on year in 2025 to how Samsung Electronics said its customers have praised the differentiated competitiveness of its next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, or HBM4, more economic and corporate headlines remained in focus. Also on deck, how US markets are expected to kickstart the year in the first trading session of 2026. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Benjamin Goh, Head of Research and Investor Education, SIAS.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On What’s Trending with Hongbin Jeong and Alexandra Parada, it’s a mix of endings, unexpected wins, and changing trends, from the highly anticipated Stranger Things finale that divided fans with its emotional highs, lingering plot holes, and unanswered questions, to a heart-warming real-life story of a Singapore dad who picked up Monopoly just to teach his daughter, only to become the nation’s Monopoly champion years later. And as pop culture continues to shape real life, even baby names aren’t spared, with 2026 parents ditching traditional picks in favour of fantasy, anime, literary, ancient-civilisation and showgirl-inspired names, proving that whether it’s TV finales, board games or naming the next generation, people are more willing than ever to take bold, unconventional turns.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A brand new year offers brand new possibilities - especially when it comes to sport, and particularly Singapore football. So what did the rollercoaster that was 2025 teach us? And what is on the wish list for 2026? Deepanraj Ganesan is back in the Sports Minutes hotseat alongside Zia-ul Raushan to tell us. Got a story to tell? Get in touch!raushan@sph.com.sgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2025 was a defining year for the silver market, marked by record prices and heightened investor interest. As the market enters 2026, attention is now turning to whether those gains can be sustained. On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Gregor Gregersen, Founder, Silver Bullion Group, to take a step back to look at how silver performed in 2025, what drove the big moves, and what investors were watching through the year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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