Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Singapore’s Straits Times Index (STI) broke new ground this morning and crossed the 4,900 threshold for the first time. The benchmark index hit a historic record high of 4,912.46 points in early trade, driven by gains made by its constituents – the 30 largest and most liquid companies on the Singapore Exchange (SGX). In terms of counters to watch today, we have OUE Reit, after the manager of OUE Reit yesterday posted a distribution per unit (DPU) of S$0.0125 for the second-half ended December, up 10.6 per cent year on year from S$0.0113.  Elsewhere, from how US President Donald Trump said he would increase tariffs on certain imports from South Korea into the US to 25%, to how Nvidia invested an additional US$2 billion in cloud computing firm and key customer CoreWeave, more international and corporate headlines remained in focus.    On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Dan Chang, Investment Specialist and Trading Representative, PhillipCapital.

Stablecoins are no longer just a niche corner of the crypto world; they’re increasingly shaping the future of money. With issuance projected to reach $1.9 trillion by 2030 and potentially $4 trillion in a bull-case scenario, these digital assets are moving beyond crypto trading into e-commerce, cross-border payments, and household use. Could early movers in stablecoins and DeFi platforms see outsized returns, or will regulatory and technological hurdles limit their potential? How should investors navigate a landscape where bank tokens, tokenized deposits, and other digital alternatives compete for attention? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Michael Ho, Partner, Financial Services, Oliver Wyman, to find out what the stablecoin boom means for the future of finance.

Singapore’s property market has always been competitive, but a recent investigation by The Straits Times has uncovered a worrying trend. Some agents are using 'bait-style' listings to attract buyers with prices that seem too good to be true, and often, they really are. From eye-catching show-flat photos to promises of 'direct-from-developer' deals, these listings can mislead buyers and distort the market. So how common are these 'too good to be true' listings? What happens when a property advertised as a bargain turns out to be misleading? And are there warning signs buyers should watch out for? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Joyce Lim, Senior Correspondent at The Straits Times, to find out more.  

Is pickleball already old news? On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Nadiah Koh look at whether TYPTI — a new racquet sport dubbed the “snowboarding of the racquet world” — could be the next big hype. Backed by celebrities and pro athletes, TYPTI promises longer rallies, more spin, less noise, and a fresh alternative for players who find pickleball too simple or too loud.  They also dive into the world of Lego. First, the hype: Lego Crocs are here — yes, real, yes, $300 — combining childhood nostalgia with fashion-forward clogs. But it’s not all glitz. They also share the inspiring story of an 85-year-old grandmother from China who discovered Lego for the first time while recovering from a hand injury in Canada. Brick by brick, she built massive sets like Hogwarts Castle, proving that play can be transformative at any age.    

Singapore shares fell today, tracking movements in Asian markets. The Straits Times Index was down 0.66% at 4,859.01 points at 2.20pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$986.49M seen in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have MoneyMax Financial, after the Catalist-listed pawnbroker on Friday attained in-principle approval from the Singapore Exchange for the transfer of its listing to the bourse’s mainboard.  Elsewhere, from how the Singapore dollar strengthened to its strongest level against the greenback since late 2014, to gold crossing the psychological US$5,000 mark, more local and economic headlines remain in focus.  Also on deck – what to watch this week, from big tech earnings to a Fed rate decision, as well as succession issues at luxury conglomerate LVMH. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with David Kuo, Co-founder, The Smart Investor.

It is back to the real estate sector today as we take you through the ins and outs of a real estate management services group that recently spun off its coliving arm on the Singapore Exchange.  You might have guessed it by now. Yes we are talking about the majority shareholder of coliving brand Coliwoo, or the SGX mainboard listed LHN Group. Established in 1991, LHN Group prides itself with the ability to generate value for space owners and users alike with its expertise in Space Optimisation.  The firm engages in four types of business operations, namely (1) space optimisation, where it redesigns unused, old and under-utilised spaces to maximise leasable area, (2) property development and investment where it engages in the acquisition, development and sale of properties, (3) facilities management including the provision of car park and energy management services, and finally (4) energy solutions, including the provision of charging stations for electric vehicles. LHN had in November posted a net profit of S$5.9 million for the half-year ended September 2025. The performance marks an 82.7 per cent decrease from levels seen in the previous year, on the back of fair value losses on its investment properties. Revenue for the same period, though fell by a more modest 8.4 per cent on the year to S$60.9 million. So how does the firm assess its latest performance and what will be the key drivers of growth going forward?  Meanwhile, the firm’s coliving subsidiary Coliwoo went public on the Singapore Exchange in November 2025. The move was said to help LHN better allocate resources within the remaining businesses within the group. So how far are we seeing that play out?  Speaking of resource allocation, LHN Group appears to be doubling down on its space optimisation business through its storage solutions subsidiary Work+Store. So how important will Work+Store be to the firm post-listing of Coliwoo? On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Kelvin Lim, Executive Chairman and Executive Director of LHN Group and Danny Wong, Chief Executive Officer of Work+Store. 

Singapore’s carbon tax has nearly doubled, jumping from $25 to $45 per tonne, and that change is starting to show up where it matters most: household utility bills. The average four-room HDB flat could soon pay more each month, even if falling energy prices are offering short-term relief. With rebates in place for now but bigger hikes ahead, what does this really mean for your wallet, and are Singaporeans ready for the long-term impact? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Dr Chua Yeow Hwee, Assistant Professor in Economics at the Nanyang Technological University, and Honorary Secretary of the Economics Society of Singapore, to find out more.

After a year marked by trade shocks, political uncertainty, and a sharp pause in dealmaking, private markets are entering 2026 with a very different tone. Confidence is rebuilding, activity is picking up, and capital is once again moving, but beneath the surface, investors are still asking some hard questions about liquidity, valuations, and what comes next. So how durable is this recovery? Where are the real opportunities, and what risks are still being underestimated? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Dominic Goh, Managing Director, HarbourVest Partners to find out more.

On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Alexandra Parada dive into how a college student went viral after emailing her professor for permission to use her iPad in class to join the BTS ticket queue, sparking a wider conversation about how far fans will go for concert tickets. That debate only intensified when fans were revealed to be flying to South Korea to use ultra-fast PC café internet to gain an edge in ticketing wars, despite the steep costs of flights, accommodation, and premium seats, raising the big question: just how much is one concert worth?

Singapore shares rose today, driven by banking heavyweights UOB and OCBC. The Straits Times Index was up 1.26% at 4,889.27 points at 2.34pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.17B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Suntec Real Estate Investment Trust, after the Reit recorded a distribution per unit (DPU) of S$0.0388 (3.88 Singapore cents) for the second half-year ended Dec 31, 2025.  Elsewhere, from how Singapore’s full-year core inflation for 2025 came in at 0.7 per cent, to how the Bank of Japan raised its growth estimate and maintained its hawkish inflation forecasts as it kept interest rates steady, more economic headlines remained in focus. Also on deck – more on Intel’s latest results as the chipmaker struggles to meet AI data centre demand. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Benjamin Goh, Head of Research and Investor Education, SIAS.