Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

US President Joe Biden has pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of making false statements on a gun background check and illegally possessing a firearm and pled guilty to federal tax charges.  President Biden’s move marks a stunning reversal, after repeatedly claiming he would not pardon his son. This also comes just weeks before he is set to leave office. Is this an abuse of power? How will this impact Biden’s reputation and legacy? Will this move become a bad precedent for future presidents?  On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Pushan Dutt, Professor of Economics and Political Science at INSEAD, for a deeper analysis.

Singapore stocks opened higher today, following gains in Asia as markets enter a seasonally strong period. The benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) rose 0.7 per cent to 3,766.33 points in early trade as 48.8 million shares changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Singapore Post, after the national postal service provider officially proposed to sell its Australian business at an agreed enterprise value of A$1 billion (S$870 million).  Elsewhere, from more on China’s latest factory activity numbers to how the US is reportedly set to launch its third crackdown on China’s semiconductor industry in three years – more international headlines remain in focus.   On Market View, Money Matter’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Chin Hui Leong, Co-founder, The Smart Investor.

In recent weeks, the US dollar gains driven by the so-called Trump Trade after former President Donald Trump claimed victory in the US election. That’s as the prospect of quicker US inflation and trade tariffs once Donald Trump returns to the White House boosted the dollar at the expense of other assets. But last week, the US dollar saw a slump, reversing its gains. Has the Trump Trade fizzled out? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Danish Lim, Senior Investment Analyst, Phillip Nova, to find out more. 

Around the world, people are becoming increasingly mindful of their personal health and wellness, especially with their choices of food products consumed daily. But how do you find healthy and organic food that’s not only good for you, but also pocket friendly? After 15 years working in New York and Singapore as a stressed-out financial analyst, and struggling with a host of health issues, Riyana Rupani founded Everiday Foods to turn peoples’ lives around by making conscious food and lifestyle changes. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Riyana Rupani, Founder, Everiday Foods to find out more.

Building safe and beneficial artificial general intelligence that could benefit all of humanity and enrich our lives. That’s what we are going to talk about today.  Founded in 2015, our guest for today is AI research and deployment company OpenAI.  The firm is famously known for its flagship AI model or chatbot ChatGPT, which reacts to questions in a conversational way. The chatbot could even admit its mistakes when confronted, and refine its answers for greater accuracy.  Aside from that, OpenAI also boasts other products including Dall-E, which is an AI system that can generate realistic images using text prompts.  OpenAI is an interesting company to talk about because of the limitless potential of generative AI solutions. Most recently, the firm had in October 2024 introduced canvas, an interface that allows ChatGPT to collaborate with human users on a project. It also launched ChatGPT Search later that month. The solution is said to search the web in a much better way than before. It’ll include the links to sources such as news articles for easy referencing.  But how much money can generative AI bring to the table in terms of efficiency?  How exactly do we draw the boundaries to the potential of generative AI? And how far does this compare against current market expectations looking at the AI-led boom in tech stocks for much of this year?  Meanwhile, OpenAI had in October 2024 announced plans to open an office in Singapore, its second in Asia Pacific after Tokyo. It also held its first developer day in the country. But what are the opportunities in Singapore, and how does the firm intend to expand internationally going forward? Also – with media reports circulating that the firm is in talks to transform its non-profit structure into a for-profit structure, what implications would this have on the firm’s direction of research? On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Oliver Jay, Managing Director, International at OpenAI.

The removal of a retirement age in Singapore does not mandate lifelong work but instead empowers individuals to remain economically active for as long as they wish. Studies have shown that many older Singaporeans value the opportunity to work during their later years, as it supports independence and self-sufficiency. This flexibility is becoming increasingly important given Singapore's low birth rates and ageing population, which are poised to make the employment of mature workers a critical social issue. However, the issue of retirement age remains a topic of debate. Should it continue to serve as a structured framework to balance workforce stability and generational equity? Or should we eliminate it altogether? On The Hot Seat, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Terence Ho, Associate Professor in Practice at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore and Ruiming He, Co-Founder, The Woke Salary Man, to find out whether it should remain or not.

There’s been a shift in allocations impacting on luxury asset value, according to the Knight Frank’s Wealth Report 2024. The Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index fell 1% over the year, pulled down by falling values in rare whisky, classic cars, handbags and furniture. Meanwhile, art, jewellery and watches helped offset some of these falls. But does this reveal a need for an ever more discerning approach from investors? Where should you store your wealth in 2024? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin speaks to Liam Bailey, Global Head of Research at Knight Frank for a look into luxury investment markets.

Singapore stocks were trading in negative territory today, following continued worries regarding US president-elect Donald Trump’s tariff threats. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) declined 0.4 per cent to 3,721.78 points after 27.3 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch today, we have IHH Healthcare, after the private healthcare group said yesterday that net profit for its third quarter ended September was RM534 million (S$161.5 million), almost flat from RM532 million the year before.  Elsewhere, from more on Tokyo’s latest inflation numbers to how Chinese carmakers’ push into the European electric vehicle (EV) market continued to meet resistance – more corporate and international headlines remain in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Too Jun Cheong, Assistant Dealing Manager from Moomoo Singapore.

Singapore-based artificial intelligence firm HELF A provides professionals in the health and wellness industry with advanced AI tools. Built by a medical doctor for health professionals and students alike, HELF provides access to clear, evidence-based insights from vast amounts of medical data, in seconds. It also helps to make informed research and clinical decisions, allowing medical professionals to focus on their patients. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks withDr Reid Lim, Founder of HELF AI to find out more. 

Indonesia's regional elections have showcased significant wins for candidates aligned with President Prabowo Subianto's coalition, except in the critical capital, Jakarta. While official results will be confirmed between November 30 and December 15, independent pollsters already indicate a broad sweep for Prabowo-backed candidates in key provinces like Central Java, West Java, and East Java. On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Rita Padawangi, Associate Professor, College of Interdisciplinary & Experiential Learning, Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), to share more.