Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Singapore shares opened lower today, tracking losses in the US market amid worries over tension and conflict in the Middle East. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) fell 0.9 per cent to 3,186.89 points after 69.5 million securities changed hands in the broader market.  In terms of companies to watch, we have Elite Commercial Reit, after the manager said today that the Reit will expand its investment strategy to include other asset sectors in the UK in addition to its current focus on social infrastructure assets.  Elsewhere from Singapore developer’s sales jumping to the highest level in four months in March, to China’ central bank leaving a key policy rate unchanged, more corporate and international headlines are in focus.  Also on deck – Apple’s Tim Cook arrived in Vietnam, but what’s on his agenda? On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with David Kuo, Co-founder, The Smart Investor.

In today's interconnected world, expanding your company and its offerings internationally can open up a world of opportunities for your business.  Going global offers access to new markets, diverse customer bases, and increased revenue potential. However, international expansion is not without its challenges. So how can businesses explore advanced strategies for expanding themselves internationally? How does cultivating global leaders and teams play a part in all this?  Charles Ferguson, General Manager - Asia Pacific, G-P shares his views. 

Using technology to change the way people innovate from concept to commercialisation – that’s what we’re going to talk about today.  Founded in Singapore in 2007, our guest is called Patsnap –  or the short form for the phrase “patents in a snap”. The company’s products help businesses analyse competitor patents, identify the white space open for innovation, validate ideas, assess the patentability of ideas and more.  This is done by using AI-powered technology and machine learning to comb through billions of data sets – over 180 million patents and millions of pieces of literature and reports to be specific – to help innovators connect the dots.  Patsnap currently serves over 12,000 companies and organisations across 50 countries worldwide, including big players like Colgate-Palmolive, Xiaomi, Walt Disney, PayPal and even the University of Oxford.  It achieved its unicorn status in March 2021 after a US$300 million Series E round featuring notable investors such as SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Tencent Investment, Sequoia China, Vertex Ventures. But what is valuation looking like three years down the road and how does it intend to help early investors cash out?  Meanwhile, Patsnap is doubling down on expanding its suite of AI products, launching its AI assistant CoPilot early this year. But how far is CoPilot expected to contribute to the firm’s top and bottom lines?  The unicorn is also expanding rapidly in Japan, with an annual growth rate of over 100 per cent over the past two years – so what can we look out for on this front? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Guan Dian, Co-founder and APAC General Manager, Patsnap.

Iran launched hundreds of attack drones and missiles at Israel late on Saturday, in what officials from Iran described as retaliation for the airstrike on the country's consulate in Syria nearly two weeks ago.  Now that the Middle East is on high alert with the threat of open warfare erupting between Iran and Israel, what is the risk of the US being dragged into it? Dr John Donaldson, Associate Professor of Political Science,  School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University weighs in.

Singapore will have a new prime minister on May 15, with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong set to take over from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on that day.The date for the handover was announced in a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office on April 15, a key detail in Singapore’s long-planned leadership transition from the third-generation to the fourth-generation (4G) political team. After he is sworn in at 8pm on May 15 at the Istana, DPM Wong, who entered politics 13 years ago, will be Singapore’s fourth prime minister. READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/dpm-lawrence-wong-to-take-over-from-pm-lee-on-may-15

Richard Wee’s journey from the regional head of a multinational corporation to now a full time BJJ volunteer trainer at Evolve is as unconventional as it gets. Stumbling into the martial arts scene at age 55, he earned his blackbelt aged 67. He now volunteers at Evolve’s FUNFIT programme which looks to support less privileged youths through MMA. Inspiring, much? Tune in to find out more! Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg | raushan@sph.com.sg

Steak is king. Steak is what other meat wishes it could be. Since its launch in October 2020, ASAP & Co. has established its F&B business as a steakhouse, specialising in the most basic and primitive way to enjoy a quality steak, namely, a mouth-watering combination of award-winning beef that is dry-aged and then smoked to perfection.  Isrudy Shaik, Founder of ASAP & Co. share more. 

Singapore shares opened muted this morning, following data released on economic growth as well as the central bank’s move to stand pat on its monetary policy settings. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) rose 0.04 per cent to 3,228.76 points after 45.2 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Jardine Cycle & Carriage. The conglomerate said that Jean-Pierre Felenbok will join the company’s board from Apr 29 as a non-executive independent director.  Meanwhile, from more on tamer US producer price inflation to gold hitting a record high today, more international headlines remain in focus.  On Market View, The Evening Runway team unpacked the developments to watch for the day.

Generative AI has been shown to boost customer service productivity. In fact, 94% of business leaders surveyed in Deloitte’s State of AI in the Enterprise, 5th Edition, agree that AI is critical to success over the next five years. The question is, how should companies deploy AI to derive the greatest value and create personalised multichannel customer journeys at scale? Simon Ma, Director & Regional Manager, ASEAN, Freshworks weighs in. 

Unsold units at The Residences at W Singapore Sentosa Cove will be up for sale at more than 40 percent off their initial 2010 launch price. Cityview Place Holdings will be releasing 58 units for sale on April 15, with prices starting from $1,648 per square foot.  But will this move however result in rapid sales for those vacant units? Is a unit there worth your investment?  Nicholas Mak, Chief Research Officer, Mogul.sg shares his views.