Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

From dropping out of grade school in Israel to moving to the U.S. with just $400 in his pocket, Antonio Sustiel story is a true testament to grit, determination, and the pursuit of the American Dream. And now, he has turned laminate flooring into a multimillion-dollar business. On R.I.C.H., Hongbin Jeong and Roshan Gidwani, speaks to Antonio Sustiel, CEO, Flooring King, to find out more. 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 equities began trading in positive territory today, as US investors awaited crucial payrolls data and mull the European Central Bank’s move to cut lending rates.  The Straits Times Index (STI) opened 0.2 per cent higher at 3,336.22 points after 27.7 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch today, we have Shanghai-based electric vehicle (EV) maker Nio, after its adjusted net loss widened by 18.1 per cent to 4.9 billion yuan (S$911.7 million) in the first fiscal quarter. Elsewhere, from more on the European Central Bank’s first rate cut in five years to Boeing’s departing CEO set to testify before the US Senate on issues surrounding the planemaker’s safety crisis, more international and corporate headlines remain in focus. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Too Jun Cheong, Assistant Dealing Manager from Moomoo Singapore.

May ended with a hot week, full of new K-pop song releases. ATEEZ, NewJeans, and Aespa all make a comeback with new hits. Which of these songs will be on replay? 

At what age do parents encourage their children to travel on their own? According to a new survey from Skyscanner, nearly 1 in 2 Singaporean travelers have travelled independently before the age of 18, with over half of them funding these trips themselves! How do plan for an overseas trip without  your parents' sponsorship or breaking the bank? Cyndi Hui, Travel Trends and Destination Expert at Skyscannerand Joey Lim, Co-founder of SAV Finance, Singapore’s youth-centred personal finance platform reveal their top hacks.  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, Airbnb has partnered with Disney to bring Edna Mode, the creator of the iconic superhero costumes from the Disney animated movie The Incredibles, to the real world. Also, Boba Fett, a character from Star Wars, is now the world's most valuable vintage toy.

Actor Zachary Quinto has been banned from a Toronto Restaurant after he berated staff. He allegedly yelled at staffers at Manita restaurant “like an entitled child” and demanded a table. 

Singapore equities started the morning on a strong footing, tracking global gains overnight. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) moved 0.3 per cent higher at 3,341.31 points after 45.8 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have OUE Real Estate Investment Trust, after its wholly owned subsidiary, OUE Reit Treasury, priced its offering of S$250 million of green notes. Elsewhere, from more on UG Healthcare and Oxley seeking up to US$120 million in a private credit loan, more local headlines in focus. Also on deck – how the US Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission have reportedly reached a deal that allows them to proceed with antitrust investigations into the dominant roles that Microsoft, OpenAI and Nvidia play in the artificial intelligence industry.  On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director Azure Capital.

Sarah Ahn is a culinary storyteller and creator of Ahnest Kitchen, where she shares the heartwarming journey behind her family's cherished recipes. Each dish serves as a link to her family's heritage, weaving together a tapestry of tradition and personal narrative. On K-Influencers, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Sarah Ahn, Creator of Ahnest kitchen, and works professionally at America’s Test Kitchen, to find out more.

We’re going to talk about a company that is most famously known as a taxi and bus operator here in sunny Singapore.  Formed in March 2003 through the merger of two publicly-listed land transport companies – Comfort Group and DelGro Corporation, our guest is ComfortDelGro, and one of the largest land transport companies in the world.  The company's businesses now include bus, taxi, rail, car rental and leasing, automotive, inspection and testing services, driving centres, non-emergency patient  transport services, insurance broking and even outdoor advertising.  Just to give you a sense of ComfortDelGro’s scale, the firm now operates in 12 countries such as Singapore, Australia, the UK, New Zealand and China, with a global fleet of about 40,000 vehicles.  In Singapore, the company owns 75% of the largest scheduled bus operator SBS Transit, and operates about 9,000 Comfort and CityCab taxis. And if you do drive, the firm is behind the car inspection company Vicom.  But why are we talking to ComfortDelGro you might ask? Well, ComfortDelGro had in May posted a 23.8 per cent year on year increase in net profit to S$40.6 million in Q1 ended March, thanks to higher revenue from its public transport, taxi and private hire vehicles, and lower rental discounts in Singapore and China.  But how does the firm assess its latest performance, and how far is this contributed by Singapore? Meanwhile, the firm had in March told The Straits Times that the rail business is a key pillar for ComfortDelGro that it wants to double down on, with the firm working on tenders in the UK and Sydney. But why is this the case, and could the firm be moving away from its taxi business? The firm had also in February this year acquired UK-based ground transport management and accommodation network specialist CMAC for £80.2 million (S$135.4 million). More recently, ComfortDelGro had in April announced an S$100 million green loan to decarbonise its bus fleet in the UK.  But what is the rationale behind the moves in its overseas markets? Are the UK and Australia stronghold markets for ComfortDelGro and what role does Singapore play in this regard? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Mark Greaves, Chairman, ComfortDelGro.

Most Singaporeans are no strangers to batik; the wax-resist dyeing technique that originates from Java, Indonesia, and more visibly, in the iconic uniforms of our Singapore Airlines cabin crew. But what about modern batik wear? Desleen Yeo, Founder of YeoMama Batikis looking toreimagine traditional batik with an effortlessly fun, colourful, and refreshing twist, and she tells us more.  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