Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

Another week, another VAR debacle. Why does this keep happening in Singapore football, and what can be done to ensure accountability? Plus, could Forrest Li truly be in the running to become FAS President? Deepanraj Ganesan and Zia-ul Raushan get stuck in on Sports Minutes. READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/billionaire-forrest-li-seriously-considering-a-run-for-presidency-of-football-association-of Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

Aspire is an all-in-one finance platform designed to help modern businesses manage their financial operations seamlessly. Founded in 2018 by Andrea Baronchelli and a team of former Lazada executives, Aspire was created to bridge the financial service gap for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Southeast Asia. By leveraging technology and a deep understanding of the entrepreneurial landscape, Aspire is redefining business banking for a new generation enabling founders to focus on what they do best: building and growing their ventures. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Andrea Baronchelli, Co-Founder and CEO of Aspire, to share more.

In a world where swiping left and right has become second nature, are dating apps still the best way to find love or have singles outgrown them? With AI-powered matchmaking, evolving dating trends, and an abundance of dating platforms promising more meaningful connections, technology continues to shape modern romance. But with digital fatigue on the rise and a growing desire for organic, real-world relationships, some argue that love in 2025 is best found offline. On The Hot Seat, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Willynn Ng, Chief Tribe at TanTan Tribe / Regional Head at TanTan International and Terry Chia, Interior Designer at Lemonfridge Studio, to find out if dating apps are still relevant in 2025.   Presented by: Hongbin Jeong Produced and Edited by: Alexandra Parada (alexparada@sph.com.sg), Hongbin Jeong, and Naz Want to get featured on our show? Drop me an email today!

Megacap stocks dominated in 2024, creating nice returns for anyone invested in the Nasdaq-100 and S&P 500. But some believe the megacap growth could pause in 2025, leaving room for other stock market segments to take the lead. Does that mean investors need to reset their exchange traded fund portfolio for the year ahead? What are some of the critical ETF selection criteria and which ETFs may be the winners in 2025? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Vance Tan Hong Meng, Financial Services Manager, PhillipCapital, to find out more.

Singapore stocks declined this morning, despite data from the Ministry of Trade and Industry showing that the city-state’s economy grew 4.4 per cent in 2024. The Straits Times Index (STI) opened 0.2 per cent lower at 3,873.76 points after 90.8 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch today, we have Thai Beverage, after the food and drink company’s revenue grew 2.4 per cent on the year to 92.3 billion baht (S$3.7 billion) for the first quarter ended December 2024. Elsewhere from the impact of the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s proposed introduction of tax incentives to spur listings and investments in the local equities market, to Apple and Google restoring ByteDances TikTok to their app stores – more local and corporate headlines remain in focus.  On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Benjamin Goh, Head of Research and Investor Education, SIAS.

Matt Silva has enjoyed a globetrotting football journey, playing in Canada, Sweden, Portugal, the Philippines, and now Singapore. The 32-year-old recently joined Tanjong Pagar United in the Singapore Premier League and was handed the captain’s armband on his debut. So how did this move came about, what it’s like working under legendary coach Noh Alam Shah, and what are the challenges of adapting to a new league. And could Singapore become more than just another pitstop on his football adventure? The custodian and captain of the Jaguars, Matt Silva, tells all on Sports Minutes. READ MORE:  https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/tanjong-pagar-united-to-count-on-matt-silva-to-avoid-spl-wooden-spoon Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

NEU Battery Materials is a Singapore-based innovator transforming battery recycling. They’ve developed the world’s first electrochemical redox targeting technology, enabling the near-zero waste recovery of lithium from LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries using only water and electricity. By recovering high-purity lithium, NEU empowers the circular economy, offering a sustainable solution for automotive OEMs, cell manufacturers, and battery recyclers. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Bryan, Co-Founder and CEO of NEU Battery Materials, to find out more.   Presented by: Hongbin Jeong Produced and Edited by: Alexandra Parada (alexparada@sph.com.sg) and Naz Want to get featured on our show? Drop me an email today!

While Valentine’s Day is a time for love, cybercriminals are using it to prey on emotions and exploit victims financially. Romance scams are on the rise, with fraudsters spending weeks or months building trust before deceiving victims into sending money or investing in fake cryptocurrency schemes. With millions lost to these scams in Singapore alone, awareness is key to staying protected. On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Philip Sow, Head of Systems Engineering, Southeast Asia and Korea (SAK), Proofpoint, to find out how you can protect yourself from love scams this Valentine's Day.   Presented by: Hongbin Jeong Produced and Edited by: Alexandra Parada (alexparada@sph.com.sg) and Naz Want to get featured on our show? Drop me an email today!

Singapore equities began the day in the negative territory, following mixed performance overnight in the US and Europe. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) fell 0.1 per cent to 3,869.64 points after 52.1 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Seatrium after the offshore and marine specialist inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with BP Exploration & Production for a deepwater floating production unit (FPU).  Elsewhere, from US consumer inflation increasing more than expected in January, to OpenAI simplifying its AI products for users, more international and corporate headlines remain in focus.  Also of interest is how shares of fried chicken fast food chain Jollibee Foods climbed more than five per cent today.   On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments of the day.

Are stock investors in for another tech wreck? Well if there’s one thing we know for sure - the unveiling of DeepSeek was a catalyst for investors to sit up and take notice. It underscores the reality that tech is no longer a guaranteed source of outsized returns. On the other hand, traditional sectors have demonstrated resilience, highlighting that "old economy" companies can still generate solid returns, particularly in an environment of normalised interest rates and stable economic conditions. So are old economy stocks back in favour? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Gary Dugan, CEO of The Global CIO Office, to find out more.