Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Chinese National YunHe Wang, who is also a St Kitts and Nevis citizen, has been charged with creating and operating the network. Law enforcement agencies from around the world have shut down a global malware network which stole $5.9bn and is linked to other crimes, the U.S. Department of Justice has said. 

We find it irresistible to fawn over K-pop idols and celebrities, especially when it comes to their flawless glass skin. But behind all the iconic, stunning makeup looks are the masterful makeup artists. What if you could get your make-up done by someone these celebrities actually go to for their looks?

Kacie Stephens, a mother of four who transformed her life from battling alcohol addiction to running a successful cleaning business, The Big Clean Co. On R.I.C.H., Hong Jeong and Roshan Gidwani speaks to Kacie Stephens, Founder, For All Australia, to share more about how she overcame her personal struggles and revolutionised the cleaning industry. 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 dipped at the opening bell today as overnight declines in US and European markets kept investors on the sidelines. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) shed 0.2 per cent to 3,316.4 points after 37.8 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch today, we have Sats after the in-flight caterer and ground handler yesterday reported earnings of S$64.1 million for the second half ended Mar 31, 2024, more than 10 times the S$6 million booked in the previous corresponding period.  Elsewhere, from Sony riding on the growing popularity of anime outside of Japan, to Google’s US$2 billion investment in Malaysia, more corporate headlines remain in focus.  On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the key developments influencing financial markets for the day.

Located on the fifth floor of Far East Plaza, Ume Maru is a testament to the art of hidden bars, tucked away behind a towering bookshelf adorned with a vibrant collection of classic Japanese manga and graphic magazines. On Culture Club, Hongbin Jeong and Roshan Gidwani speaks to Jeffry Lautan, General Manager, Ume Maru, to find out more about Ume Maru and its offerings. 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!

On What's Trending, McDonalds in Japan will release a limited edition dessert menu on June 5th, featuring Asian sweet treats that reflects Chinese, Vietnamese, and Filipino cuisine, with options like mango sauced sundae and banana caramel pie. Also, Qatar Airways has been named the World's best airline for 2024 by Australia-based aviation safety and product rating agency AirlineRatings.com.

Truffles can cost as much as US$300,000. Thus, there is fierce competition. There are some jealous hunters who get upset when other crews with truffle dogs score big and poisonous traps have been laid out in Tuscany. 

Now what do you think of when we talk about internships? Chances are you think of two words - overworked and underpaid. But what if an internship surrounded two very different words…and that is Formula One! That’s right, two very fortunate Singaporeans have been selected from thousands of applicants for what’s being described by most as an “opportunity of a lifetime” - to work as interns at Red Bull Racing’s headquarters in Milton Keynes, England! Zia-ul Raushan caught up with the two NTU undergrads - Charis Chua and Heng Yi-Hsin - ahead of their plunge into the fast lanes! Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! raushan@sph.com.sg

Today we’re going to bring you an inside look into the B2B merchant services and fintech arm of Razer, Fiuu.  Established back in April 2018 as Razer Fintech, Fiuu has grown to become the one of the largest O2O or Offline to Online digital payment networks in emerging markets and has processed over billions of dollars in total payment value.  For one thing, Fiuu recorded a Total Payment Volume, or TPV of over US$6.6 billion for FY 2023, positioning it as one of the largest payment processors in Southeast Asia.  Its business encompasses two verticals namely payment services and reload services. In terms of payment services, the firm supports global scheme cards and over 110 payment methods to power online and offline payments for global and regional blue-chip merchants in Southeast Asia.  On the reload services front, the firm has built the region’s largest offline payment network with over 1 million physical acceptance points. This includes cash-over-counter services like the fulfilment of e-commerce purchases, bill payments and telco reloads and merchant acquiring services for third party e-wallets.  Why are we talking to Fiuu you might ask? Well, the firm was rebranded from Razer Fintech to Fiuu in March this year to reinforce its intentions to become a leading force in the future of digital payments.  But how far does the rebranding initiative allow the firm to move away from its gaming heritage?  Meanwhile, a report by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company noted that digital payments now make up over 50% of transactions in Southeast East Asia. But what opportunities does this provide to Fiuu and Razer? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Limeng Lee, Executive Chairman, Fiuu, and Chief Strategy Officer, Razer.

Singapore stocks started the day on a softer note, after US markets closed overnight mixed. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) dipped 0.1 per cent to 3,326.72 points after 51.2 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch for today, we have Singtel.  That’s after two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters that the telco is part of a consortium poised as a frontrunner to buy a minority stake worth US$1 billion in STT Telemedia Global Data Centre (STT GDC), one of Asia’s biggest data centre providers. Elsewhere from Vietnam’s inflation hitting an 11-month high to Apple opening its first retail location in Malaysia next month, more international and corporate headlines remain in focus.  On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Carl Ashton, Investment Counselor, Citi Private Bank.