Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

The ongoing Middle East conflict is sending shockwaves through global energy markets, and Singapore is feeling the heat. Fuel prices are climbing, food costs are rising, and businesses are bracing for ripple effects. On The Big Story, Debbie Yong speaks with Eugene Tan, Associate Professor of Law at Singapore Management University, about Singapore’s response. We unpack the newly formed Homefront Crisis Ministerial Committee, what it aims to tackle, why the government has taken a measured approach on energy use, and how households and businesses might be supported. How effective will the HCMC be? Could households and businesses face tougher choices ahead? And what signals should we watch to know whether Singapore is truly prepared for future energy challenges?

Earnings are still holding up, but the era of broad beats and easy momentum may be fading. Mega-cap tech is still leading, but the gap is narrowing, AI spending is surging but becoming more uneven, and investors are getting far more selective about what they reward. So are we at an inflection point, from momentum-driven gains to a market that cares more about valuations, quality, and fundamentals? And could that mean a comeback for GARP investing? On Wealth Tracker, Debbie Yong speaks to Rahul Ghosh, Portfolio Specialist in Equity Division, T. Rowe Price, to find out more.

What would you do if you spotted a strange, electric-blue creature on a beach in Singapore and had no idea if it was harmless… or venomous? That moment of curiosity (and mild panic) is exactly what inspired a new project people are calling a 'Singapore Pokedex', a fast, visual wildlife guide designed to help everyday people identify real animals in real time.  On What's Trending, Debbie Yong and Nadiah Koh explore how this simple idea is trying to close that gap — turning hikes into discovery, and making biodiversity accessible, visual and actually useful.  Then, we shift gears from nature to one of the fastest-growing fitness phenomena in the world: HYROX. What looks like a brutal race of running and workouts is actually something much bigger — a global business pulling in millions, attracting tens of thousands of competitors, and turning fitness into a full-blown ecosystem. From entry fees to sponsorships, gyms to tourism, HYROX is redefining how people train, travel and spend.  

Singapore shares inched higher today as investors continue to monitor developments on the global trade front. The Straits Times Index was up 0.46% at 4,970.16 points at 1.24pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$727.68M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Olam Group after the agri-food giant said today that it is selling its information technology and digital services unit, Mindsprint, to Wipro for US$375 million as part of a broader corporate reorganisation.  Meanwhile, from how retail sales in Singapore surged 8.3 per cent year on year in February, to how Citigroup has pushed back its Fed rate-cut timeline, citing unexpectedly strong US job gains and persistent inflation risks, more economic headlines remained in focus. Also on deck – investors’ reactions to a media report that the US, Iran and a group of regional mediators are discussing the terms for a potential 45-day ceasefire, as well as US President Donald Trump’s renewed threats to attack Iranian infrastructure if Tehran does not meet his deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with David Kuo, Co-founder, The Smart Investor.

On Apr 2, US President Donald Trump delivered his first prime-time address since the US-Israeli war in Iran erupted on Feb 28, claiming major military victories against Iran’s navy, air force, and missile capabilities. Yet he offered no clear timeline for ending the conflict. With Trump’s approval rating at a low 36% and Iran’s enriched uranium still largely intact, questions linger: was this speech aimed at reassuring Americans, or boosting support ahead of the midterms? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Dr. Samir Puri, author of Westlessness and Visiting Lecturer in War Studies at King’s College London, to find out more.

The “Sell America” narrative has resurfaced amid rising geopolitical tensions and a more assertive US policy stance, but markets suggest a more nuanced reality. US equities remain supported, Treasuries continue to attract demand, and foreign investors are still allocating into US assets. Instead, the adjustment appears to be happening through the US dollar, while gold is gaining prominence as a key hedge against policy uncertainty and shifting global dynamics. On The Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Arun Sai, Senior Multi-Asset Strategist at Pictet Asset Management, on why this may be less about exiting US markets and more about reducing USD exposure and building gold as a structural hedge.

What do laser-filled highways and your cringey teenage email have in common? They’re both trying to fix problems we didn’t think had solutions. On What's Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Nadiah Koh head to China where drivers are being kept awake by full-on laser light shows on highways. Is it genius… or just dangerously distracting? Then, we switch gears to something way more personal: your email address. After years of being stuck with usernames you’d never say out loud in a meeting, Gmail might finally let you change it, without losing your entire digital life.

Singapore shares slid today as investors continue to mull US President Donald Trump’s address on the war in the Middle East. The Straits Times Index fell 0.76% to 4,937.86 points at 2.41pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.09B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have ST Engineering, after it announced yesterday that its marine business has secured a six-year subcontract valued at an estimated S$600 million from Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB), a shipbuilder based in the United Arab Emirates.  Meanwhile, from how regional markets moved post-Trump’s address to how CapitaLand Investment plans to accelerate its capital recycling efforts and is evaluating “structural solutions” for its assets in China, more financial and corporate headlines remained in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director, Azure Capital. 

After years of seemingly unstoppable growth, Singapore’s housing market is showing its first signs of change. HDB resale prices have dipped 0.1% in the first quarter of 2026, the first quarterly decline in almost seven years. Meanwhile, resale transactions have also eased slightly, down 4.5% from last year. What does this mean for homeowners and buyers? Could this be the start of a more balanced, affordable market or just a brief pause before prices climb again? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Nicholas Mak, Chief Research Officer, MOGUL.sg, to find out more.

Gold and silver are doing something that markets don’t usually expect in a moment like this; they’re falling, not rising, even as geopolitical tensions from the Iran conflict keep energy prices high and uncertainty elevated. So what’s really going on? Is this the end of the traditional safe-haven trade, or just a temporary distortion driven by stronger yields, a firmer US dollar, and shifting Federal Reserve expectations? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Lim Jun Kit, Senior Strategist, Phillip Nova,  for more insights.