Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

Wall Street is looking to start the week on a firmer footing as markets attempt to recover from a three-week slide. Dow futures are currently in the green, while Asian markets have begun the week on a mixed note. The big driver for markets right now is the escalating U.S.-Iran conflict, with the Strait of Hormuz effectively choked off, oil prices have been extremely volatile. Brent crude surged past US$100 for the first time since 2022 last week, briefly pulled back, and has since climbed again. On Market View, Alexandra Parada speaks to David Kuo, Co-Founder of The Smart Investor, to discuss the latest market movements.

Surprises galore this Singapore Premier League weekend  - with Geylang snapping a 4-game winless streak, coaches opting to be experimental in their team selections and a refereeing decision that left fans scratching their heads We unpack it all, plus cast our eye on potential nominees for season-ending awards on Sports Minutes. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

Today we’re going to take you through the company behind the GLP-1 drugs Wegovy and Ozempic that are used to treat obesity and diabetes.  Founded in 1923 and headquartered just outside Copenhagen in Denmark, Novo Nordisk prides itself as a global healthcare company that aims to drive change to defeat serious chronic disease and build on its heritage in diabetes.  The Danish drugmaker said it seeks to do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to its medicines and working to prevent and ultimately cure the diseases it treats.  Fast forward to today, Novo Nordisk’s global footprint spans across 170 countries, with production facilities in 13 of them, and 10 research and development centres in key markets China, Denmark, India, the UK and the US.  Novo Nordisk is a company to watch because of its breakthrough GLP-1 injectable medications for diabetes and obesity care in recent years. But what are the key drivers of growth for the firm right now? Meanwhile, concerns surrounding competition against other industry peers such as Eli Lilly continue to weigh on investors’ minds as they mull what the next battleground for the big pharmaceutical players will be.  That’s especially so with the expiry of the firm’s patents in key markets nearing. But it seems like oral pills are the next chapter for pharmaceutical firms targeting the obesity market, with Novo Nordisk rolling out its first GLP-1 pill for weight loss in the US earlier in January. With Goldman Sachs in 2025 forecasting the daily oral pills will capture about a quarter of the anti-obesity medication market by 2030, how will Novo Nordisk’s oral GLP-1 medications augment its growth trajectory? On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Jay Thyagarajan, Senior Vice President, Region APAC, Novo Nordisk.

Fuel shortages across Asia are prompting governments to take drastic steps, from four-day work weeks to school closures, all aimed at reducing energy consumption. But how effective are these measures really? And could Singapore ever consider similar policies if the crisis worsens? On The Big Story, Nadiah Koh speaks with June Goh, Senior Oil Market Analyst, Sparta Commodities,to find out more.

A Barcelona fan missed a Champions League match after following his GPS to the wrong stadium. Instead of Newcastle’s St James’ Park, he ended up at St James Park in Exeter and watched a completely different football game instead. Meanwhile, an Australian fashion designer named Katie Perry has finally won a nearly two-decade legal battle against pop superstar Katy Perry over the right to use the name for her clothing brand. On What’s Trending, Nadiah Koh and Alexandra Parada unpack the GPS mix-up and the unusual name dispute between a small business owner and a global pop star.

Global financial markets are currently facing a complex mix of uncertainty and opportunity. Rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have pushed energy prices higher, adding pressure to an already delicate inflation outlook. At the same time, central banks are carefully balancing the need to control inflation with the possibility of shifting monetary policy as economic conditions evolve. Meanwhile, Asia continues to stand out as a key engine of growth, particularly as artificial intelligence and technology-related investments accelerate across the region. These forces are creating both risks and potential upside across asset classes—from equities and bonds to commodities and alternative investments. Which industries may benefit from current trends, and which areas could face challenges? And how can investors position their portfolios to stay adaptable in a rapidly changing environment? On Wealth Tracker, Nadiah Koh speaks with Ecaterina Bigos, CIO for Core Investments in APAC ex-Japan at BNP Paribas Asset Management, to find out more. 

Singapore shares were little moved today as investors’ focus remained squarely on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.  The Straits Times Index hovered 0.03% above the flatline at 4,856.64 points at 1.16pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$791.71M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have ST Engineering, given how the company’s urban solutions business will be deploying a suite of intelligent transport systems solutions for Singapore’s Land Transport Authority.  Elsewhere, from how the US tried to ease supply concerns by issuing a 30-day license for countries to buy Russian oil and petroleum products stranded at sea, to how Alibaba Group Holding launched a dedicated mobile app claiming to help users install and deploy OpenClaw within minutes – more international and corporate headlines remained 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.

Raihan Rahman’s football journey has been anything but straightforward. From losing his place in the professional game to rebuilding his career in the amateur ranks, his return to Tanjong Pagar United is a story of resilience. Now a leader in the squad and approaching 100 appearances, Raihan reflects on his comeback and the Jaguars’ difficult season. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

Asian markets started 2026 with a bang, fueled by last year’s AI-driven rallies, renewed momentum in China, and a patchwork of opportunities across the region. But with valuations high and risks on the radar, the big question for investors now is: how are fund managers actually positioning their portfolios? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Germaine Share, Director of Manager Research, Morningstar and Arvind Subramanian, Senior Analyst, Manager Research, Morningstar, to find out more.

The International Energy Agency is rolling out the largest emergency oil release in its history - 400 million barrels - as the Iran conflict threatens energy supplies through the critical Strait of Hormuz. But what does this mean for global fuel markets? In Singapore, authorities say the country has several safeguards to ensure energy security, although consumers could still see electricity prices edge higher in the coming months. So how much higher could electricity prices rise? And could Budget 2026’s U-Save rebates help cushion the impact?  On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with David Broadstock, Partner of The Lantau Group,to find out more.