Money and Me

Cheap mortgages, a flood of resale flats, and a widening condo price gap - is 2026 the year to buy, sell, or refinance your property? Michelle Martin explores Singapore’s unusual property moment and what it might mean for you. Daniel Sim, Founder, Golden Goose Properties and Michelle unpack whether owners should sell ahead of rising competition, refinance their loans while rates are low, or upgrade to private property. Could ripple effects could extend into executive condominiums and resale condos as more homeowners consider upgrading? With new launch prices climbing and the gap with resale condos approaching 50%, buyers and sellers face a complex set of decisions. We also explore what Singaporeans who bought overseas property should do if those investments are underperforming in today's market.

Are investors focusing too much on headline DPU when evaluating Singapore REITs? Michelle Martin examines why the familiar distribution-per-unit number may not tell the full story. In this episode of Money and Me, we explore whether investors should shift their focus from the quantity of distributions to the quality and sustainability behind them. REIT specialist and Wealth Advisory Director Kenny Loh introduces a new framework - the Management Efficiency Index (MEI) - meant to help investors evaluate how effectively REIT managers generate and protect long-term income. The conversation also unpacks the risks behind 100% payout strategies, accounting optic moves, and the impact of management fees paid in units. With AGM season approaching, Kenny shares the key questions retail investors should ask management teams to better understand the resilience of distributions. Any investor heading to a REIT AGM would benefit from knowing the right questions to ask to dive beyond the numbers to get at management "sweat equity".

There will soon be a new way to grow your CPF savings, what do you need to know? In this episode of Ask CPF! Michelle Martin puts your questions to Wu Meei, Director of Investment Schemes at CPF Board. Will you still have access to CPFIS? What sort of products might you be able to invest in? How does portfolio rebalancing happen? Has this scheme been successful elsewhere? What sort of returns are possible? We also explore how the “glide-path” strategy works to grow your wealth, the fees and the key risks involved with using the scheme.

When markets shake, your instincts may tell you to run  and turn your equities into cash - but history suggests, that action may be an expensive mistake. Michelle Martin speaks with Tim Phillips, Founder of TimTalksMoney, about why investors instinctively flee equities during turmoil - and why that move may actually be self-sabotage. What separates disciplined investors from panicked sellers in turbulent times? We find out in this episode of Money and Me hosted by Michelle Martin.

What if inflation isn’t an accident - but a feature of the system? In this episode of Money and Me, hosted by Michelle Martin, we dive beneath the headlines with Paul Musson, author of Capital Offence: Why Some Benefit At Your Expense. Musson argues that the modern monetary system quietly redistributes wealth - often from savers and wage earners to asset owners. We unpack why many investors confuse money with real capital, and why that matters. The conversation explores declining trust in systems, the role of central banks, and whether gold or cryptocurrencies are rational responses. Finally, we examine what a future might look like in a world of rising debt, deficits and monetary expansion.

A Singapore retiree has sparked a lot of conversation after revealing she receives roughly $4,600 a month from CPF payouts. We examine the numbers behind her strategy For listeners turning 55 today, the key question is whether replicating this strategy is still possible under today’s CPF rules. We explore the role of the Enhanced Retirement Sum (ERS), annual top-ups and the powerful impact of compounding. We also unpack what meaningful retirement payouts mean for different life circumstances in this episode of Money and Me, hosted by Michelle Martin, with guest Elijah Lee of Phillip Securities.

Is Singapore’s property market quietly shifting after Budget 2026?  In this episode of Money and Me, hosted by Michelle Martin, we break down what new policies on foreign work passes, AI investment and housing demand could mean for buyers and investors. Michelle speaks with Christine Sun, Chief Researcher and Strategist at Realion Group (OrangeTee & ETC), about whether the absence of new cooling measures signals confidence that prices have stabilised. They unpack why demand for some Prime and Plus HDB flats appears softer, and why first-time buyers may now prioritise space over central locations. The conversation also explores how stricter foreign hiring rules could affect rental demand and whether Singapore’s push to become an AI hub might boost long-term property values. Finally, Christine shares where investors might find the smartest opportunities in Singapore’s property market in 2026.

Is the so-called “sleepy” Singapore market waking up - or are we at the start of a full-blown IPO revival? In this episode of Money and Me, hosted by Michelle Martin, we unpack Southeast Asia’s reopening equity capital markets with Art Karoonyavanich of DBS. Trading volumes are up to S$1.65 billion a day in early 2026, and billion-dollar deals like UI Boustead REIT are landing smoothly despite tariff headlines. We explore why CapitaLand India Trust and Lendlease REIT can raise fresh capital even amid global trade noise - and what that says about investor confidence. Beyond property, we examine Ultragreen’s S$520m tech IPO and whether healthtech, AI and digital infrastructure are next in line. Is Singapore simply benefiting from regional recovery — or positioning itself as Southeast Asia’s IPO hub for the next cycle?

Oil is spiking, AI firms are being blacklisted, and inflation just ran hotter than expected - what does that mean for your money in March? As US-Israel strikes on Iran and retaliation across the Gulf rattle markets, we examine how a potential Strait of Hormuz disruption could drive energy prices higher and reignite inflation fears globally — including in Singapore. Then we turn to AI turmoil: Anthropic’s Claude has been labelled a national security risk, while OpenAI swiftly secured a Pentagon deal. Are we entering an era where political alignment determines corporate survival - and how do investors price that risk? Add in Jack Dorsey’s Block cutting nearly half its workforce for agentic AI and fresh layoff data, what does that mean for global economic growth? Simon Ree, Founder of Tao of Trading, joins us to break down safe havens,  and how to position portfolios for volatility ahead - hosted by Michelle Martin.

Is the world quietly walking away from U.S. tech - and should you? In this episode, hosted by Michelle Martin, we unpack the US$52 billion exodus from U.S. equities - the fastest in 16 years - where is smart money going? Guest Swapnil Mishra, author of Investing for the Clueless, Reckless and Overly Cautious, explains what “rotation” really means beneath the headlines. We examine whether U.S. tech is simply expensive - or structurally peaking after years of dominance. Nvidia posts a record US$68.1 billion in revenue while defending AI’s long-term case, even as Salesforce slides on fears of AI-driven job disruption. Are markets pricing in consumer stress and white-collar layoffs or is that a myth?