Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Parliament has been officially dissolved, marking the start of Singapore’s next General Election.  Nomination Day has been set for April 23, kicking off a minimum nine-day campaigning period before Cooling-off Day. This election marks the first election under Prime Minister Wong’s leadership but also a time of growing global uncertainty, rising geopolitical tensions, and renewed focus on domestic issues like cost of living, housing affordability, and job security. On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Dr Gillian Koh, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Policy Studies, National University of Singapore, to find out more.

It’s one of the oldest myths around: cats have nine lives. But where did that idea come from? With their graceful movements, air of mystery, and uncanny ability to land on their feet, cats have earned a reputation for being nearly indestructible. This myth spans centuries, rooted in ancient civilizations and passed down through folklore and cultural storytelling - from the sacred temples of ancient Egypt to Arabic legends and old English tales, cats were often seen as magical, mystical, and even divine.

Singapore shares opened lower on Monday, with the Straits Times Index down 1% in early trade.  US President Donald Trump paused tariffs on some consumer electronics, easing pressure on tech giants like Apple, but investors remain on edge. Over in the US, bank stocks have tumbled. JP Morgan is down 15%, Wells Fargo has fallen 21%, and Citigroup slid 24% in just two months right as Q1 earnings season kicks off. Back home, the MAS eased monetary policy slightly and lowered its inflation forecast, raising concerns of slower growth ahead. On Market View, Willie Keng speaks to David Kuo, Co-Founder of The Smart Investor, to share more.

Election season is in full swing as both the People’s Action Party (PAP) and opposition parties unveil their candidates ahead of the upcoming General Election. The PAP is fielding over 30 new faces, including teams for key opposition-held constituencies like Aljunied and Sengkang GRCs. Meanwhile, opposition parties are preparing for a fiercely contested race in areas like Tampines and Sembawang GRCs. On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Dr. Teo Kay Key, Research Fellow at the IPS Social Lab, Institute of Policy Studies, to discuss more about these key developments.

In just a matter of days, financial markets have gone from orderly to chaotic. The S&P 500 has dropped to its lowest level in nearly a year, and the VIX has spiked to levels not seen since the early months of the pandemic. So what’s going on, and what does it mean for portfolios? What strategies are investors turning to to protect their portfolios? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Ritesh Ganeriwal, Head of Investment Advisory, Syfe, to find out more.

Bernard Tan, the outgoing president of the Football Association of Singapore, reflects on his tenure at the helm - marked by both significant efforts and heavy criticism. He explains his decision not to seek re-election, explores the highs and discusses the lessons learnt from the lows. So was he the right man at the wrong time, or was he the wrong man regardless of the time? Tune in and decide for yourself. READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/letting-go-is-not-so-easy-football-association-of-singapore-chief-bernard-tan-will-not-run-for Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

TIIM Healthcare is transforming emergency care with AI-powered solutions that support faster, more accurate triage decisions. Their flagship product, aiTriage, leverages heart rate variability and artificial intelligence to detect high-risk patients early. With support from the National Health Innovation Centre (NHIC), TIIM Healthcare has successfully launched clinical trials and built vital partnerships with hospitals like SGH and NUH, accelerating adoption and driving real-world impact in healthcare delivery. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Prof Marcus Ong, Senior Consultant and Clinician Scientist at the Department of Emergency Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, and Dr Pauline Erica Tay, Director at the National Health Innovation Centre, Singapore, to find out more.   Presented by: Hongbin Jeong Produced and Edited by: Alexandra Parada (alexparada@sph.com.sg) and Nadiah Koh Want to get featured on our show? Drop me an email today!

It’s all about food today as we bring you an inside look into what’s said to be the largest supermarket chain in Thailand. And this is a company that you might be very familiar with if you frequent the food halls at Bangkok’s malls. With operations dating back to 1996, our guest for today is Central Food Retail Company, one of the business units under Thai multinational conglomerate Central Group.  The firm now runs supermarkets and F&B concepts in varying formats, namely: Tops Food Hall, Tops, Tops daily, Tops Online, Central Wine Cellar and Tops Eatery. Besides that, the company also embarked on a joint venture with Japan’s drugstore chain Matsumoto Kiyoshi in 2015 to open Matsumoto Kiyoshi stores. But why are we trying to get you hungry by speaking to Central Food Retail at this time of the day? Central Food Retail is an interesting company to talk about given how the firm announced an investment plan of 1.6 billion baht or close to S$63.2 million for 2024.  The investment was in line with the firm’s T-O-P-S strategy to position it as a Truly World-Class Omni-Channel Food Retail player, with an aim to achieve a total of 1,000 stores by 2027.  To this end, the firm is also doubling down on its investments in technology, having in December 2024 teamed up with Google Cloud to launch an AI-powered shopping assistant called ‘Tops Chef Bot’.   With the investments in place, Central Food Retail aims to achieve a compound annual growth rate of 8%. But what should we know about the firm’s progress in bridging its online to offline presence?  On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Stephane Coum, Chief Executive Officer of Food Group, Central Retail.

US President Donald Trump disrupted the global economic order with sweeping tariffs, sparking the possibility of a global trade war, soaring prices, and a devastating blow to global economic growth. To the surprise of many, Singapore was handed down a tariff of 10%, despite being a long-term ally. Still, some believe that there are silver linings to be found within these dark clouds.  Could Singapore turn this crisis into an opportunity to become a new safe haven for multinationals fleeing an unstable world? Or will the tariffs expose the vulnerabilities of our small, open economy? On The Hot Seat, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Professor Goh Jing Rong, Assistant Professor of Economics from Singapore Management University and Dr Jayant Menon, Visiting Senior Fellow, Regional Economic Studies Programme, from ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, where they discuss whether Trump's tariffs could turn out to be beneficial for Singapore.

As a National Serviceman, the NS allowance is the only source of income available for most NSFs. With the Ministry of Defence announcing another round of increment in NSF allowance, is this the best time to harness that small sum by making smart financial moves? On the Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Wayne Cheong, a former Singapore Armed Forces military regular, turned financial consultant.