Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

Conflict in the Middle East is rocking global energy markets. Oil prices are spiking, shipping routes are under threat, and supply chains are stretched to the limit. But what does this mean for your investments, and the future of renewable energy?  On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to James Koh, Partner, Energy & Natural Resources, Oliver Wyman, to find out more.

On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Alexandra Parada dive into the world of K-pop from fan reactions that spiralled into real-world disruption, to the massive economic power of global superstars. They unpack the fallout from Heeseung’s departure from Enhypen, which escalated from petitions and protest trucks to overwhelming South Korea’s national pension fund lines. Then, they look at BTS’ long-awaited comeback, a return so big it could rival Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, generating billions and boosting entire industries.

Singapore shares fell today as investors continue to mull the impact of the Middle East war on global growth. The Straits Times Index was down 0.55% at 4,940.11 points at 2.18pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.04B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Hongkong Land and Suntec Real Estate Investment Trust, after the property developer acquired a 10.8 per cent stake in the trust, for S$541 million in a bid to grow its presence in Singapore’s prime commercial sector. Elsewhere, from how Alibaba Group declared a target of reaching US$100 billion of cloud and AI-related business revenue in five years, to how the Indian rupee fell past the 93 per dollar level for the first time today, more corporate and international headlines remained in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the key developments to watch for the day.

Jordan Webb, remember him? He arrived as a fleet-footed winger from Canada in 2010, and spent close to a decade making a mark in the Singapore Premier League - most notably for Tampines Rovers. 6 years since departing in fairly abrupt circumstances, he sits down with Sports Minutes to tell us how close he came to representing his "second home", his regrets on never achieving that goal and how a failing marriage forced him to return back to Canada in 2020. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

Over the past year, the spotlight has been firmly on students and their use of AI, questions around academic integrity, strict guidelines, and even penalties for those who don’t disclose it. But now, the conversation is shifting. Several universities here in Singapore, including Nanyang Technological University, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore Institute of Technology, and National University of Singapore, are beginning to incorporate AI tools into the grading process itself. So that raises a big question: if students are being closely monitored for their use of AI, is it fair for educators to lean on the same technology when marking their work? Is this a step towards greater efficiency… or does it risk changing the very nature of assessment and feedback? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Ben Leong, Associate Professor of Computer Science at NUS and Director of the AI Centre for Educational Technologies, to find out more. 

It’s not just global investors driving the surge in gold, but buyers right here in Singapore. From bullion dealers to pawnshops, demand for gold bars, coins, and even jewellery has spiked sharply in recent months, fuelled by rising tensions in the Middle East, volatile markets, and growing expectations of interest rate cuts. At the same time, prices have been anything but stable, swinging between record highs and sharp pullbacks. So what’s really going on, and is this a smart time to be buying gold? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to David Mitchell, Managing Director, Indigo Precious Metals, to find out more.

On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Zia-ul Raushan talk about world leaders with unexpected talents including Thailand’s King and Queen, who made headlines for flying their own plane on a state visit. Plus, a Singaporean family learns a costly lesson at the airport after a toy gun in their child’s carry-on led to a missed flight and S$3,000 in new tickets.

Singapore shares dipped today as investors continued to mull the Federal Reserve’s move to hold interest rates overnight. The Straits Times Index was down 0.44% at 4,980.01 points at 12.06pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.38B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Manulife US Real Estate Investment Trust, after its distributable income for the second half ended Dec 31 fell 31.1 per cent year on year to US$10.6 million.  Elsewhere, from how Apple posted a 23 per cent surge in China smartphone sales in the first nine weeks of 2026, to how Micron Technology warned that it will need to spend heavily on production to meet burgeoning demand, more corporate headlines are in focus today.  Plus – what investors should make of the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan’s moves to hold interest rates this week. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director, Azure Capital.

Iran has confirmed that its top security chief, Ali Larijani, was killed in an Israeli airstrike, alongside his son and senior aides, a major setback for Tehran’s leadership since the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei earlier in the conflict. In response to his death, Iran has launched missile strikes on Israel, while targets in Lebanon have also been hit, raising concerns of a broader regional escalation. What does Larijani’s assassination mean for the balance of power in Iran? Could it undermine diplomatic efforts in the region?  On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Dr James Dorsey, Adjunct Senior Fellow at Nanyang Technological University's S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, to unpack the latest developments.

Oil prices are surging, the US dollar is holding firm, and Asian currencies are under pressure. Could the Korean won and Indian rupee slide further? And why might the Chinese yuan and Singapore dollar weather the storm better? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Christopher Wong, FX strategist, OCBC, to find out more.