Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Singapore’s Central Provident Fund has just reached a major milestone, becoming the first pension system in Asia-Pacific to earn an ‘A’ rating in the Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index. It’s now in the same league as global leaders like Denmark, the Netherlands and Israel, systems often praised for their balance of adequacy, sustainability, and integrity. But as the population ages, life expectancy rises, and retirement expectations evolve, the big question is whether the CPF can continue to meet the diverse needs of future retirees, without compromising flexibility or fairness. On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Lena Teng, Learning & Development and CPF Specialist, Providend, to find out more. 

Singapore investors are parking more money into safer assets, with nearly 60 per cent of mutual fund inflows this year going into money market funds. What’s driving this flight to safety, and how can investors balance caution with long-term growth? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Daryl Liew, Chief Investment Officer at PhillipCapital, to find out more.

Stella Koh, Co-Founder, Joya Onsen Cafe. Singaporeans love Japan, the food, the culture, the little rituals that make life feel a little more relaxed. But what if you could experience that without flying thousands of miles away? At just 19, Stella Koh decided to bring the Japanese onsen experience - a tradition most people only encounter in Japan, right here to Singapore. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Stella Koh, Co-Founder, Joya Onsen Cafe, to find out more. 

Singapore shares rebounded from yesterday’s losses today.  The Straits Times Index was up 0.43% at 4,373.29 points at 11.16am Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$569.13M seen in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Centurion, given how the group acquired a land site in central London for £41 million (S$71 million) via a joint venture (JV) with US-based real estate firm Landmark Properties. Elsewhere, from how China’s deflation eased in September, to how Intel has announced a new artificial intelligence chip for the data centre that it plans to launch next year – more international and corporate headlines remained in focus. Also on deck – how US banks fared per their latest earnings reports out at the start of the week. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Jeff Ng, Head of Asia Macro Strategy, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation.

They wanted redemption...and they delivered! Singapore silenced the critics with a gutsy 2-1 win over India to keep their AFC Asian Cup hopes alive. Former Lion Adam Swandi joins Sports Minutes to share his verdict, along with the post-match reactions of Safuwan Baharudin and Ikhsan Fandi from Goa. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

It's all about hypercars in this “On the Go” Special episode of “Under the Radar” as Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian headed down to BUGATTI Singapore’s showroom at 45 Leng Kee Road.  Founded by Ettore BUGATTI in 1909, BUGATTI prides itself as a state-of-the-art hyper sports car marque, and is said to produce the world’s most powerful and luxurious cars.  Fun fact – each car is still hand-assembled at the firm’s Atelier in Molsheim.  Today, BUGATTI is part of the BUGATTI Rimac Group, and is laser focused on developing the next generation of hyper sports cars.  And the CEO and President of BUGATTI Mate Rimac is in town to mark the 20th anniversary of its iconic model, the BUGATTI Veyron. The BUGATTI Veyron became the world’s first production car with more than 1,000 hp and a top speed of over 250mph  in 2005. Tian Tian caught up with Mate briefly during the anniversary celebration event to find out about his priorities for the business, his take on the importance of Southeast Asia and Singapore as markets for the company, as well as BUGATTI’s future lineup. 

Over 70% of Singaporeans have yet to use their one-off $500 SkillsFuture Credit top-up, which will expire at the end of this year. That’s a missed opportunity, especially at a time when Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing the job market. With the government urging workers to become more AI-fluent and employers increasingly valuing digital skills, many are now asking: how can Singaporeans make full use of their SkillsFuture Credit,  and invest it in something that truly future-proofs their careers? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with John Amos Tan, Generative AI Instructor at Vertical Institute, to find out more. 

K-beauty isn’t just a global trend, it’s shaping the way private equity invests. With giants like Blackstone and KKR snapping up brands and suppliers, the sector is transforming private markets, proving that skincare and cosmetics can be serious business for investors seeking growth and global reach. On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Wong Chia Peck, Senior Correspondent, The Business Times, to find out more.

Nicholas Cheng founded VideoPulse, a creative studio built for tech companies that helps turn complex products into clear, story-led videos. What started as a passion for visual storytelling has grown into a system trusted by global teams at DocuSign, Samsung, HP, and YC startups. He also leads Tracework.ai, a GenAI-powered workflow platform backed by Microsoft GenAI and NUS Enterprise. Tracework helps teams capture their expertise and transform repetitive know-how into scalable, easy-to-follow guides. At the intersection of storytelling, design, and AI, Nicholas is rethinking how technology teams communicate, turning ideas into stories and knowledge into systems that actually work. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong spoke to Nicholas Cheng, Founder of VideoPulse and Tracework.ai, to find out more.

Singapore shares slid today as investors continue to monitor renewed US-China trade fears. The Straits Times Index was down 0.57% at 4,364.69 points at 1.59pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.03B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Mapletree Logistics Trust, after the manager of Mapletree Logistics Trust yesterday announced that it had completed the divestment of an Australian property for A$60 million (S$50.4 million). Meanwhile, from how the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) kept monetary policy settings unchanged for the second consecutive time in today’s quarterly policy meeting, to how silver prices touched an all-time high above US$52.50 an ounce, more economic headlines remained in focus On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Abhilash Narayan, Investment Strategist, HSBC Global Private Banking and Premier Wealth.