Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

A cancelled ride could soon mean compensation for drivers. Ride-hailing platform Tada is revising its cancellation policy so drivers can receive $3 if a passenger cancels while they are already on the way and within 500 metres of the pickup point, a change that follows feedback raised by the National Private Hire Vehicles Association. Then, we zoom out to the staggering fortunes at the top of the global rich list. The latest Forbes Billionaires List once again places Elon Musk at number one, with an estimated US$839 billion net worth making him the wealthiest individual ever recorded and highlighting the massive surge in tech-driven wealth. On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Zia-ul Raushan unpack these headlines from gig workers on Singapore’s roads to the growing concentration of wealth among the world’s tech titans.

Singapore shares dipped today as investors closely monitor developments out of the Middle East.  The Straits Times Index was 0.46% lower at 4,841.35 points at 2.19pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.15B seen across the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Del Monte Pacific. The food and beverage group posted yesterday a net profit of US$10 million for the three months ended Jan 31, over three times that of the US$2.5 million in the same year-ago period.  Elsewhere, from how the Singapore Exchange announced that its February performance had the highest securities daily average value (or SDAV) since 2020, to how Brent crude surged above US$100 a barrel again as Iraq stopped operations at its oil ports after two tankers were targeted, more financial headlines remained in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director, Azure Capital.

From tea stalls in Kolkata to jeepney drivers in Manila, the shockwaves from the war involving Iran are already being felt far beyond the battlefield. Cooking gas prices are rising, fuel costs are climbing, and businesses across Asia are bracing for shortages as energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz face severe disruption. The region buys the vast majority of its oil from the Middle East, meaning households, transport workers and food vendors could be among the first to feel the squeeze. So how big could this fuel crunch become, and what does it mean for economies across Asia? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Mukesh Sahdev, Founder and CEO, XAnalysts,to find out more.

Private markets have long been the playground of institutional investors: think venture capital, private equity and exclusive funds with massive minimum investments and years-long lock-ups. But, blockchain and tokenisation are making it possible to break large investments into smaller pieces, potentially allowing more investors to access private deals that were once out of reach. So could this be the moment private markets finally open up to the masses? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Inmoo Hwang, Co-Founder and Group Managing Director of ADDX, about how blockchain is changing the way people invest and whether it could solve the long-standing liquidity problem in private assets.

Coins in your pocket could be worth far more than you think. From a humble 5-cent coin selling for nearly $15 to rare Singapore pieces fetching 100 times their face value, could the spare change sitting in your drawer actually be a hidden investment? Then, we turn up the volume on another everyday habit: loud fitness classes. New research suggests the booming music in spin and high-intensity workouts can potentially put your hearing at risk. If louder music doesn’t actually improve your performance, why are gyms still blasting it? On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Nadiah Koh explore the surprising value of Singapore coins and the hidden cost of turning your workouts up to 108 decibels.

Singapore shares were little moved today as all eyes remained on oil price movements and developments in the Middle East.  The Straits Times Index was down a marginal 0.05% at 4,858.11 points at 2.47pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.09B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch for today, we have Jardine Matheson Holdings, after the Hong Kong-based conglomerate yesterday reported an 11 per cent year-on-year increase in underlying profit to US$1.7 billion for financial year 2025. Full-year revenue fell 4 per cent to US$34.2 billion.  Elsewhere from how the International Energy Agency has reportedly proposed the largest release of oil reserves in its history to bring down crude prices,to how Meta has agreed to acquire Moltbook, more international and corporate headlines remain in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Kenneth Goh, Director, Private Wealth Management, UOB Kay Hian.

Malaysia’s long-standing RON95 petrol price of RM1.99 per litre is under threat. Surging global oil prices, a tense Middle East, and a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz are putting the government and consumers on high alert. What could rising fuel costs mean for households, businesses, and the Malaysian economy at large? Could subsidies survive, or are higher petrol prices inevitable? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Lavanya Venkateswaran, Senior Economist, OCBC Bank, to find out more.

Think wealth is just about returns? Think again. Ultra-high net worth families are taking a longer view—building legacies that span generations and borders. Lombard Odier’s second Rethink Family Wealth report reveals how families, family offices, and foundations are managing wealth differently today.  From governance and family alignment to private markets and endowment-inspired strategies, we explore how long-horizon investors are turning today’s market shifts into lasting value. On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Jack Siu, Head of Discretionary Portfolio Management, Asia, Lombard Odier, to find out more.

Is there something you know so well you could recognise it blindfolded?  On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Alexandra Parada talk about a Barbie collector who knows her dolls so well she can identify them blindfolded, and a viral road sign in Tianjin, China warning drivers not to make jokes while behind the wheel.

Singapore shares rose today as oil prices retreated from earlier highs.  The Straits Times Index was up 1.74% at 4,839.48 points at about 2.11pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.33B seen in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Suntec REIT, after property tycoon Gordon Tang’s Acrophyte Asset Management yesterday received approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore to acquire ESR Trust Management (Suntec), the manager of Suntec Reit.  Elsewhere, from how oil driven inflation could weigh on transport and logistics players on the SGX, to how Apple reportedly increased iPhone production in India by about 53 per cent last year, more corporate and international headlines remained in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Thilan Wickramasinghe, Head of Equity Research, Maybank Securities.