Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Inspired by Morning Brew and Axios, she wanted to make a newsletter that covered tech and business in Southeast Asia. The topic area made sense: she’s based in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, itself a growing tech hub. Fast forward to today, tens of thousands of founders, investors, and tech workers globally trust BackScoop for their daily dose of industry news. But what sets BackScoop apart from all the other newsletter in the market?  On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Amanda Cua, Founder & CEO at BackScoop to find out more. 

Hong Kong is at a pivotal moment as it strives to position itself as a global hub for commodities trading, particularly for precious metals. With its proximity to China, the world’s largest consumer of base and precious metals, and its role as an international financial centre, the city is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between Asia’s growing demand and global trading influence. As BRICS countries drive a significant portion of global commodities demand, Hong Kong has a unique opportunity to serve as a vital trading hub for BRICS countries and the broader Asian market. On The Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Gregor Gregersen, Founder of Silver Bullion Group, to find out how Hong Kong can capitalise on this opportunity and establish itself as a benchmark-setting commodities hub.   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!

Singapore shares started trading in positive territory today, ahead of a shortened session due to the Chinese New Year holidays.  In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) was up 0.8 per cent at 3,827.76 points after 30.8 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have DBS after the bank announced yesterday that it acquired an additional stake in Shenzhen Rural Commercial Bank, increasing its stake from 16.7 per cent to 19.4 per cent.  Elsewhere, from how Nvidia lost nearly US$600 billion in market value overnight after the rise in Chinese AI firm DeepSeek caused a meltdown in US tech counters, to the impact of DeepSeek on Singapore’s data centre Reits, more corporate and international headlines remain in focus.    On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Desmond Chua, Investment Counselor, Citigold Private Client, Citibank Singapore.

Surety is a FemTech company based in Singapore, dedicated to empowering mature women as they navigate the often-overlooked challenges of perimenopause and menopause.  Recognizing that menopause is a natural yet stigmatized phase in a woman’s life, Surety has developed a groundbreaking platform to provide essential knowledge, tools, and community support.  Their offerings include a comprehensive mobile application designed to help women track symptoms, access evidence-based healthcare resources, and connect with trusted providers.  The platform also promotes holistic health strategies, enabling women to proactively manage their symptoms and optimize their physical and emotional well-being. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Valery Tan, CEO & Co-Founder & Elmer Yap, COO & Co-Founder, Surety Singapore, to find out more.

With Chinese New Year just around the corner, festive shopping and reunion dinner preparations are in full swing – but so are scammers. With the rush to secure deals, the risk of online scams is surging. Meta’s recent report of 9,000 phishing URLs in Singapore highlights the growing threat of fraudulent promotions. Now more than ever, consumers must stay vigilant against these evolving dangers. On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Tim Falinski, Vice President of Consumer Business, Trend Micro, to find out how to remain vigilant from scams this festive period.   Presented by: Hongbin Jeong Produced and Edited by: Alexandra Parada (alexparada@sph.com.sg) Want to get featured on our show? Drop me an email today!

As the diamond market continues to evolve, investors are now considering two distinct paths: the classic allure of natural diamonds or the rapidly growing sector of lab-grown diamonds.  While natural diamonds have long been seen as a symbol of exclusivity and luxury, lab-grown diamonds offer an intriguing alternative, with lower costs and a more sustainable production process.  But do lab-grown diamonds have the same investment opportunity as real diamonds?  On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Fabio M Cascapera, Presiden of Diamond Exchange of Singapore to delve into the investment potential of both, exploring the factors driving each market and what investors need to know as they navigate this sparkling new frontier.

Schizophrenia is a mental health condition that often goes misunderstood, creating a lonely experience for sufferers. In Singapore, 1 in 116 persons had been diagnosed with schizophrenia at some point in their lives, making schizophrenia the most common among all psychotic disorders in Singapore. How can we navigate the stigma around mental health illnesses like schizophrenia? What more do we know about research that is being done to help individuals who have this illness?  On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Joyce Teo, Senior Health Correspondent, The Straits Times to find out more.  To find out more, you can tune in to the Health Check podcast on The Straits Times every first Wednesday of the month.  

Singapore shares started trading in negative territory today, mirroring the global markets. The Straits Times Index (STI) opened down 0.3 per cent at 3,792.54 points after 45.9 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Keppel, after the company was granted a licence by the US to build a 20,000 km subsea cable system linking Singapore to the US.  Elsewhere, from Singapore-listed US office Reits surging on the back of US President Donald Trump’s executive order for federal employees to return to work in the office, to how China’s DeepSeek topped Apple’s iPhone download charts, more corporate and international headlines remain in focus.    On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Chin Hui Leong, Co-founder, The Smart Investor.

Ain’t no story like an underdog story, and that was the case in the Singapore Premier League this past weekend! A host of interim managers making instant impacts - with Hougang United, Tanjong Pagar United & the Young Lions also securing memorable wins. We discuss and dissect it all on Sports Minutes, in the company of Deepanraj Ganesan. READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/shawal-anuar-comes-back-to-haunt-former-side-as-sailors-go-six-points-clear-at-the-top-of-spl-table Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

In an era where digital assets and decentralized applications are growing rapidly, FailSafe is stepping in to ensure that both individuals and businesses can navigate this new landscape with confidence. FailSafe integrates artificial intelligence to provide real-time threat detection, advanced fraud prevention, and an extra layer of protection for everything from NFTs to DeFi protocols. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Aneirin Flynn, CEO & Co-Founder, FailSafe Aneirin Flynn to find out more.