Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Singapore stocks entered this morning slightly stronger following overnight gains on Wall Street and Europe brought about by optimism over potential rate cuts by central banks. In early trade, the Straits Times Index headed down 0.2 per cent to 3,309.13 points after 21 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Frasers Logistics & Commercial Trust. Its distribution per unit (DPU) for the first half of the fiscal year declined 1.1 per cent to S$0.0348.  Meanwhile, from more on Tokyo Disney Resort’s S$2.8 billion expansion to Apple reportedly developing its homegrown chip to run AI tools in data centres, more corporate and international headlines remain in focus. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with  Carmen Lee, Head of OCBC Investment Research.

Do you know what colour best suits you? If you ever wondered what colour makes you shine, perhaps colour analysis is the something you might want to try. Hongbin Jeong finds out her best colour with colour analyst Alicia Soh of Color Me SG, an experience that left her questioning her fashion choice. 

How much are you spending to look and feel like a million dollars in your gym attire?  What if you could also splurge on decking out your home with the best gym equipment that money can buy? Like a $26,000 glass exercise bike. That’s what co-founders and fitness enthusiasts Debra Tay and Tudi Guillamot are seeking to do with their passion project, Cycling Bears, a brand that curates and customises luxury fitness equipment for homes. But, the million dollar question is: Does investing in a luxury workout space actually motivate you to work out better?  Presented by: Hongbin Jeong and Roshan Gidwani Feature produced and edited by: Nadiah Koh and Aaron Lam Do you have a story to tell on The Evening Runway show? Contact nadkoh@sph.com.sg

On What's Trending, French bakers have made the longest baguette ever made, reaching 140.53 meters, a record that trumps the previous Italian record of 132.62 meters. Also, Yoshiko Miwa celebrates her title as the oldest living Japanese American.

There’s one incident that went viral over a mispronunciation from a foreigner. And it led to a creation of a new slang word amongst Gen-Zs. It’s K-Slang word of the week - where I tell you one Korean slang word each week, to keep you on trend and help you blend in with the Koreans. And today's slang word is Nong-hyup eun haeng.

Australian airline Qantas has agreed to pay 66 million US Dollars in fines for misleading consumers by advertising seats on tens of thousands of cancelled flights. The airline has faced backlash due to soaring ticket prices, sloppy service, and the sacking of 1,700 ground staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Straits Times Sports Reporter Deepanraj Ganesan is in the Sports Minutes hot seat today as we look back on the sporting weekend that was. With the Lion City Sailors laying down an early marker clinching the Community Shield, could the Blue tide be rising in the Singapore Premier League? Plus, the quest to be crowned Kings of England continues....will it be City, will it be Arsenal? Tune in to find out! Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! raushan@sph.com.sg

The recruitment and staffing landscape is in focus as we speak to one of the leading talent acquisition and management firms here in Asia.  Founded in 1992, HRnetGroup helps business leaders, hiring managers and job seekers build stronger companies, successful careers and better workplace cultures. The firm’s business segments can be split into two, namely flexible staffing or the provision of temporary manpower solutions to companies, as well as professional recruitment, where it sources permanent staff for corporate staff.   The Singapore headquartered and SGX listed firm started off as a 4-man team and grew to a headcount of over 900 consultants across 17 Asian cities, such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Taipei, Beijing, Seoul and more.  Its business portfolio includes 14 brands such as HRnetOne, SearchAsia, and Yespay.   HRnetGroup had in February posted a 7.1 per cent year-on-year increase in net profit to S$35.3 million for the second half of 2023 driven by strong profit margins.  That’s even as revenue for the period fell 4.7 per cent on the year to S$283.7 million amid tough economic conditions and sector-wide profit downgrades.   It also noted that revenue trends were patchy. So how does the firm assess its road ahead, especially amid news of global firms streamlining their operations this year? Which brands continue to make meaningful contributions to the group? Meanwhile, the firm had in 2022 acquired stakes in a number of businesses, such as a majority stake in local cloud-based workforce management software firm Octomate.  It also co-invested half a million Singapore dollars into the flexible staffing business of Recruit First Indonesia that year. But how far have the acquisitions reaped financial gains for the firm? And what’s next on the firm’s to buy list?  On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Adeline Sim, Chief Corporate Officer, HRnetGroup Limited.

A unique dog groomer transforms dogs into unique characters on his Instagram. Despite facing challenges, he has turned his passion for dog grooming into a million-dollar business, showcasing his creativity and dedication to his craft. On R.I.C.H., Hongbin Jeong and Roshan Gidwani speaks to Gabriel Feitosa, Dog Grooming Artist, Gabriel Feitosa Grooming Salon, to share more about his story. Presented by: Hongbin Jeong and Roshan Gidwani Produced and Edited by: Alexandra Parada (alexparada@sph.com.sg) Want to get featured on our show? Drop me an email today!

Singapore shares advanced at the opening bell this morning, tracking gains in global markets.  In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) rose 0.3 per cent to 3,301.24 points after 51.6 million securities changed hands in the broader market.  In terms of companies to watch, we have Singtel, after the telecommunications giant’s Australian subsidiary, Optus, has named Stephen Rue as its new chief executive effective November 2024.  Elsewhere from key highlights of Berkshire Hathaway’s 2024 annual meeting, to how your cup of Kopi C Kosong is getting more expensive – more corporate and international headlines are in focus. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with David Kuo, Co-founder, The Smart Investor.