Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Celebrating a milestone 30th edition, the SCC Soccer 7s organized by the Singapore Cricket Club is happening from 5 to 7 March at the Padang. Featuring Premier League legend Ray Parlour & Patrik Berger, the 7-a-side football tournament will see a host of SPL Teams and regional teams in action! So why should you make time to go check it out? We speak to Guo Guang Chang, 2024 SCC Soccer 7s Chairman to find out! Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg | raushan@sph.com.sg

Singapore stocks inched up at the opening bell today, following mixed overnight results in US and European markets.  In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) rose 0.5 per cent to 3,238.13 points after 35.6 million securities changed hands in the broader market.  In terms of companies to watch, we have  Cromwell European REIT, after the Reit divested a non-core office property in Poland for 15.9 million euros (S$23.1 million).  Elsewhere, from Google considering charging for new “premium” features run by artificial intelligence to Tokopedia and TikTok Shop completing backend integrations as per merger requirements to operate in Indonesia, more corporate and international headlines are in focus today. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director Azure Capital.

Are you a frequent traveller? Or maybe you are one of those who fancies a last minute trip as and when you feel like it. If you fall under that category, vacation ownership might just be for you!  Vacation ownership is a great way to travel how you want. It is the concept of owning a portion of a resort with the right to use the unit or points you own.  Barry Robinson, President and Managing Director, International Operations, Travel + Leisure Co. tell us more.

We’re going to talk Mexican today as we speak to the master franchisee of one of the world’s fastest growing fast food chains, Guzman Y Gomez, here in Singapore.  While the brand sells Mexican food, it was actually founded by two New Yorkers who were in Australia back in 2006!  The duo were missing Mexican cuisine they grew up with in the US, and hence decided to build a restaurant business by marrying fast food and Mexican food.  Fast forward to today, Guzman Y Gomez now has a presence across four markets, Singapore, Japan, Australia and the US, wrapping 450 to 500 burritos every hour and using 1.9 million kilograms of avocados a year in Australia alone.  In particular, Singapore was the first international market that Guzman Y Gomez expanded into. It was done through a master franchisee. The country now boasts 15 Guzman outlets and one Guzman Grab kitchen.  But what are the opportunities here in Singapore? And how will Guzman Y Gomez’s master franchisee here support the firm’s wider ambitions to open over 40 restaurants globally each year?  Meanwhile, Guzman Y Gomez has recently taken its plans to go public on the Australian Stock Exchange off the shelves amid the current economic environment.  But what will such major moves at a corporate level influence its franchisees like the master franchisee here in Singapore? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Josh Bell, Master Franchisee and General Manager, Guzman Y Gomez Singapore.

Singapore has recently been abuzz with a certain pop star (Taylor Swift). With more and more international performers flying into our city, how is the island living up to its full entertainment potential? What draws these performers to specific venues and what does a “dream concert venue” look like for both entertainment artists and attendees, now and in the future? Ng Sim Lim, Vice President, Sales (Venues), Constellar tells us more.

From an alleged ‘spy’ in Malaysia to Indonesia’s new capital Nusantara to Thailand moving closer to legalising same-sex marriage.  Adib Zalkapli, Independent Political Analyst gives us an analysis of those headlines and more. 

As the dust settles on Joseph Schooling's retirement announcement, we explore the legacy he leaves behind. How pivotal was his parents support in his successes? Will the lows of a drug scandal tarnish the highs of being Singapore's first and only Olympic champion? And will we ever see another Schooling? Former Singapore fencer Nicholas Fang weighs in. READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/letter-to-my-baby-joseph Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg | raushan@sph.com.sg

Singapore stocks opened weaker today following overnight losses on Wall Street, as Tesla and healthcare stocks weighed on the indexes. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) headed down 0.7 per cent to 3,224.2 points after 61.3 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Dyna-Mac, after the offshore oil and gas contractor today said it secured several contracts that bring its total net order book to a record S$896 million, with project deliveries stretching until 2026.  Elsewhere from TSMC halting some chipmaking machinery amid the biggest earthquake to hit Taiwan in 25 years to US Federal Reserve officials’ comments on interest rates, more corporate and international headlines remain in focus. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Poh, Head of Investment and ESG Strategies, South Asia, Amundi.

More state-owned buildings in Singapore will be converted to co-living spaces, to meet the rising demand for such housing here. With that said, the Champions Way Residences heritage property at 26 Evans Road will soon have a new name and a new purpose. It will be called “The Initial Sama”, a co-living space managed by Cover Projects, a hospitality management company that was recently awarded the tender by the Singapore Land Authority. Lim Keong Wee, Co-Founder and Director of Cover Projectsshares more. 

Singapore stocks traded muted this morning, tracking the US market’s subdued performance.  In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) was flat, rising just 0.02 point to 3,234.91 points after 80.6 million securities changed hands in the broader market.  In terms of companies to watch, we have Isetan Singapore. It’s the hot stock of the day after news of Japan’s Isetan Mitsukoshi proposing to privatise mainboard-listed firm.  Elsewhere from shares of China’s Xiaomi surging as much as 16 per cent on the back of its electric vehicle launch last week, to Australian shares hitting an all-time high, more corporate and international news remain in focus. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Kurt Mayell, Head of CMC Markets, Singapore.