Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Singapore shares were trading lower at the opening bell today after global equities ended mixed overnight. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) fell 0.1 per cent to 3,327.95 points after 42.9 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have ValueMax, after associates of the Singapore-listed pawnbroker launched an initial public offering for Well Chip to raise RM172.5 million (S$49.6 million) on Bursa Malaysia. Elsewhere, from more on how Asian currencies slumped to its lowest since 2022 on the strength of the US dollar, to expectations on US GDP numbers and the US  Presidential debate – more international headlines remain in focus. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director Azure Capital.

Unnie From Seoul is a pioneering content creator dedicated to uncovering and sharing Muslim-friendly dining options in Korea. With a passion for Korean culture and a deep understanding of halal dietary requirements, she has created a unique platform that helps Muslim travelers fully immerse themselves in the rich culinary tapestry of Korea. On K-WAVE, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Unnie from Seoul, to find out where you can get your next halal meal in Korea.

Retailing is the action of selling goods and services to consumers piecemeal rather than to businesses in bulk.  When we think of retailers, we often think of the likes of clothing retailers and electronic retailers. But instead of selling consumer goods, our guest for today sells the electricity we use to power our homes and electronics.  Established back in 2001 under its former name Seraya Energy, our guest for today is Geneco, a subsidiary of YTL PowerSeraya, one of Singapore’s first and largest electricity generators, with a licensed generating capacity of 3,100MW.  The firm used to serve just commercial and industrial customers back in the days until further liberalisation of the Singapore electricity market kicked in in 2018.  It was then that the company re-established itself as Geneco and expanded its scope to also cater to households and small and medium sized enterprises. Since then, the firm’s retail business grew further over the years, powering over 165,000 households in the lion city as of 2024.  But why are we talking to Geneco you might ask? Well, the Singapore electricity retail market is an interesting one to look at. It used to be rather vibrant back in 2018, with customers able to choose their electricity provider from a list of over 20 retailers.  Just a number of years later, a number of players including Singapore’s largest independent electricity retailer iSwitch left the industry due to cut throat competition, volatility in wholesale electricity prices, not to mention the energy crisis fuelled by the Russia-Ukraine war.  So what was the secret sauce that allowed Geneco to continue growing, on top of remaining in business?  Speaking of energy crisis, Geneco had said in April 2023 that electricity bill that year could be cheaper as global energy prices stabilise, but how far has that played out, and what is the situation like right now with demand for electricity expected to grow as the economy revs back to life from the pandemic? And what will that mean for Geneco ultimately when it filters through to its top and bottom lines?  On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Lim Han Kwang, CEO, Geneco, Group Head (Retail, Regulation and Renewables) YTL PowerSeraya Ltd.

In this month's edition of The Peak Singapore, Editor-in-Chief Zat Asthasat down with homegrown titans of the tech industry to find out about their enterprising achievements. From AI baristas to robots which require no coding, the growing list of tech entrepreneurs from Singapore are making influential waves with their impactful innovations and contributions to technology. But today, we want to know: What does the business of robotics look like?  Zat Astha, Editor-In-Chief at The Peak tells us more on this month's The Peak Special on R.I.C.H. 

Michelin unveiled the full selection of the Michelin Guide Singapore 2024 on June 25. The newly released Guide recommends a total of 283 locations – with 3 three Michelin Stars, 6 two MICHELIN Stars, 42 one Michelin Star, 81 Bib Gourmand and 151 Michelin Selected venues. This year’s selection also presents the second Michelin Green Star in Singapore. So, who gained, retained, or lost stars this year? Where should you book your next dinner reservation? On this month's The Peak Special on Culture Club, Kenneth Goh, Digital Editor, The Peak Singapore reveals it all.

On What's Trending, Vienna has been crowned the most liveable city in the world for the third consecutive year, according to the annual Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Also, a Maryland man's lost dog, Luna, was found 1,000 miles from his Mardela Springs home after being spotted wandering in a Walmart parking lot. After being scanned for a microchip, Luna was found and reunited with its owner.

Midnight Society terminates relationship with Dr. Disrespect after allegations unsurface. Roshan Gidwani, Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian spill the tea! 

The eldest son of arguably Singapore's most famous footballer Fandi Ahmad, Irfan Fandi joins Sports Minutes to talk about his imminent transfer from BG Pathum to Port FC, revealing the moment he knew his contract wouldn't be renewed and his initial disappointment. Having played in Thailand since 2019, the 26-year old reflects on his five years at BG, expressing what he'll miss most and addressing the "what if" factor related to his recent injury struggles. Now close to peak fitness, Irfan also discusses the excitement of joining Port FC, his goals for the future, and his aspirations of playing in Europe.  Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! raushan@sph.com.sg

Singapore shares started the day on a muted note after US equities ended mixed overnight, while European shares closed in negative territory. In the morning, the Straits Times Index (STI) opened 0.04 per cent lower at 3,324.95 points after 27.2 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have for you ST Engineering after the group broke ground for a new data centre, which will add 7.5 megawatts to its capacity.  Elsewhere, from South Korea set to kick off a 26 trillion won or S$25 billion package of financial support for the chip sector to Google reportedly set to showcase artificial intelligence features and updates to its Android platform at a special event in August, more international and corporate headlines remain in focus. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Thilan Wickramasinghe, Head of Equity Research, Maybank Securities.

The global personal luxury market is predicted to hit $464b by 2025 and climb to $606b by 2030, growing at an average annual rate of 6%. Sounds like it’s time to invest in a career in luxury or wealth management and leadership? And for professionals looking to jump into a luxury career, what are some of the most important skills one should build up? Sonja Prokopec, Professor of Marketing at ESSEC Business School, Asia-Pacific, and program director of ESSEC’s Academy of Luxuryexplains. Presented by: Hongbin Jeong and Roshan Gidwani Feature produced and edited by: Nadiah Koh  Do you have a story to tell on The Evening Runway show? Contact nadkoh@sph.com.sg