Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

The US dollar is sliding to levels not seen in years, the euro and sterling are surging, the Japanese yen is staging a dramatic turnaround, and the Singapore dollar is at an 11-year high. What’s driving these moves, and more importantly, what should investors do to protect their portfolios? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Lim Jun Kit, Senior Strategist, Phillip Nova, for the latest.

On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Nadiah Koh dive into the stories everyone’s talking about. First, we explore a viral sensation out of China: a scrap metal refiner nicknamed “The Alchemist” who extracted real gold from discarded SIM cards, sparking a rush for old electronics online. Could your junk drawer be hiding treasure?  Then, we turn the spotlight to Hollywood and politics, with Melania Trump’s new documentary. Despite harsh reviews from critics, audiences are loving it. With an ‘A’ CinemaScore and a $7 million opening, it’s the biggest documentary debut in a decade. We unpack why it’s dividing critics and fans alike, and what this tells us about celebrity, curiosity, and the stories we can’t stop watching.  

Singapore shares fell today to track movements in Asian equities. The Straits Times Index was down 0.72% at 4,869.73 points at 2.14pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.22B seen in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have ST Engineering, after the company launched its largest unmanned cargo aircraft to date at the media preview of the Singapore Airshow yesterday, along with other products from its defence and urban solutions divisions.  Elsewhere, from how private sector surveys out today showed Asia’s factory activity expanded in January, to Alibaba spending three billion yuan (S$549 million) to attract users to its Qwen artificial intelligence (AI) app during the Chinese New Year holiday, more corporate and international headlines remained in focus. Also on deck, what to watch ahead of earnings from tech majors ⁠Alphabet, Amazon and AMD. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Thilan Wickramasinghe, Head of Equity Research, Maybank Securities.

From in fighting cubs to in form players, under fire coaches to underwhelming foreign signings - Sports Minutes recaps all the talking points from another round of Singapore Premier League matches...and more! READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/spotted-lions-coach-gavin-lee-on-the-train-hed-like-you-to-say-hi Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

Singapore’s education system has seen multiple reforms aimed at reducing academic pressure, from changes to streaming and PSLE scoring to a greater focus on holistic development. Yet, high-stakes exams continue to influence school placements, family decisions, and significant spending on tuition and enrichment. This week, the Ministry of Education announced it is reviewing both exam difficulty and how PSLE results are used in secondary school admissions, as part of a wider effort to curb what it calls an education ‘arms race’. What could these potential changes mean for students and families? Will they actually reduce stress, or will competition simply take a new form? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Jonathan Sim, Lecturer at the NUS Learning & Development Academy and Fellow at the NUS Teaching Academy, to find out more.

Bitcoin just can’t seem to catch a break, after losing ground as investors shifted into gold and silver, it’s now sliding alongside precious metals in a broader risk-off move. Prices have fallen below US$85,000 for the first time in two months, raising fresh questions about where crypto goes from here. On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Zann Kwan, Managing Partner & CIO, Revo Digital Family Office, to find out more.

On today’s episode of What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Alexandra Parada dive into the TikTok sensation “turning Chinese,” a playful trend where non-Chinese users adopt Chinese-inspired wellness and lifestyle habits, drinking hot water, making herbal teas, and cooking traditional breakfasts, sparking conversations about cultural appreciation versus appropriation. Then, we shift gears to a cautionary tale for K-pop fans in Singapore: over 50 fans were scammed out of more than $70,000 by an online seller claiming to offer rare and sold-out idol merchandise.

Singapore shares dipped today as investors continue to mull global earnings out this week.  The Straits Times Index was down 0.18% at 11.36am Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$794.05M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Keppel DC Reit, after the manager of the data centre-focused Reit today announced a DPU of S$0.05248 for the second half ended Dec 31, 2025, up from S$0.04902 for the corresponding period a year earlier. Elsewhere, from how Apple forecast a surge of ‍up to 16% in revenue for the March quarter, to how core consumer prices in Tokyo rose 2.0% in January from a year earlier, more corporate and international headlines remained in focus. Also on deck, how US President Donald Trump said he would unveil his pick to replace Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell later today. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Benjamin Goh, Head of Research and Investor Education, SIAS.

The Nipah virus, which has once again made the news following an outbreak in India’s West Bengal. While the number of confirmed cases is still small, the outbreak has prompted countries in the region, including Singapore, to strengthen precautions. Singapore has introduced enhanced measures at Changi Airport and stepped up hospital surveillance to catch any potential cases early. But how does this outbreak compare to previous Nipah incidents, such as the 1999 outbreak in Singapore and Malaysia? What lessons can we draw from history, and what practical steps can we take to protect ourselves today? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Professor Paul Tambyah, former president of the Asia-Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection, to break down the facts, explain the risks, and share advice on staying safe.

Asian currencies are surging. The US dollar is sliding. And political signals are shaking up global FX markets. Is this the start of a new currency regime, or just a temporary trade? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Khoon Goh, Head of Asia Research, ANZ, to find out more.