Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

With the 2023 domestic football season wrapping up in Singapore, we are joined by Deepanraj Ganesan, sports reporter with The Straits Times, to review the highs and the lows of 2023. We also look ahead to 2024 and what we can expect. Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg | raushan@sph.com.sg

Singapore shares opened on a strong footing today after US equities rallied overnight, with the Dow Jones posting a record high on signals of lower borrowing costs in 2024. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) rose 0.7 per cent to 3,124.90 points after 73.1 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Sembcorp Industries, after the group said it was awarded a 300-megawatt solar project from NHPC, an enterprise of India’s government.  Meanwhile, from the US Federal Reserve signalling three rate cuts in 2024, to news of Country Garden selling a small stake in a Dalian Wanda Unit, more international headlines remain in focus. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director, Azure Capital.

As workers continue to experience evolving hybrid work arrangements against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and transformation, Qualtrics’ 2024 Employee Experience Trends Report has revealed the indicators of an optimal employee experience in Singapore have stalled over the last 12 months. Dr Cecelia Herbert, Principal XM Catalyst, Qualtrics XM Institute tell us more about the study and why  Generation X are reporting the lowest levels of engagement, inclusion, and well-being across the board.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s emergency bill to revive his plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda has avoided defeat in parliament. Despite the victory, the result showed the prime minister is struggling to maintain control over his party. So, what’s next for Rishi Sunak after winning the Rwanda bill vote? What obstacles will he have to overcome in the New Year? Dr Samir Puri, Associate Fellow, UK in the World Programme, Chatham House explains. 

Today we’re going to bring you an inside look into the kiwi fruit we eat from time to time for that Vitamin C boost!  Based in New Zealand, Zespri is one of the world’s most successful horticultural marketing companies and its the country’s largest horticultural exporter.  Just to give you some numbers, the firm exports over 167 million trays of kiwifruit to more than 50 countries around the world. We’re talking about 30 per cent of global volume and sales revenues of US$3.1 billion.  But how does the company work? Well Zespri is 100 per cent owned by current or past kiwifruit growers.  It manages kiwifruit innovation, supply and distribution management and marketing of varieties such as Zespri™ Green, Zespri™ Gold Kiwifruit and Zespri™ Red.  Aside from exporting products, it also gives out licences to farmers to farm certain varieties of kiwifruits – for instance the golden kiwifruit variety that is sweeter and higher in nutrients.  That said, how does the firm assess its reliance on a single type of fruit for production and business growth? Also – where are the bright spots for Zespri in the near term? Meanwhile, Zespri also launched a US$2 million innovation fund to drive agricultural innovation and mitigate the impact of climate change globally. But 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 Jiunn Shih, Global Chief Marketing, Innovation & Sustainability Officer of Zespri. 

Manchester United's defeat to Bayern Munich at Old Trafford leaves them out of the Champions League and out of Europe after finishing bottom of their group. Even more worryingly, the problems at the club appear no nearer to being solved under Erik ten Hag. So where to from here for the once mighty Manchester United? Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg | raushan@sph.com.sg

Why is self-storage space rental high in demand in Singapore and Asia Pacific?  That's because rents for small homes, increasing affluence and work-from-home practices in Asia have fuelled demand for self-storage and piqued investor interest in the nascent sector. Luigi La Tona, Group Director of Operations, StorHub shares what that means for the future of self-storage in Singapore, as living arrangements continue to evolve post-pandemic.

In an era where theatres are reshaping themselves to captivate modern audiences, ABA Productions proudly upholds its enduring devotion to the timeless classics, keeping the magic alive for generations to come. From Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to Peter Pan to Roald Dahl’s tales, they believe that these timeless literary pieces should transcend time and borders.  And now, they will be bringing the musical adaptation of the hit DreamWorks motion picture, Madagascar, to Singapore in January 2024.  Matthew Gregory, Executive Producer, ABA Productions tell us more. 

Singapore stocks opened on a muted note today after global equities ended mixed overnight. In early trade, the Straits Times index (STI) was down 0.02 per cent at 3,101.8 points after 54.9 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch for today, we have ST Engineering and StarHub. Both parties said separately today that the defence and engineering group will acquire cryptographic technology company D’Crypt from a StarHub unit.  Elsewhere from more on private sector economists’ forecast for Singapore’s 2024 growth to Japan planning tax breaks for 10 years to boost EV and chip production, and what to expect ahead of the latest US FOMC meeting more economic developments remain in focus. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Toby Gresham, Investment Counselor Team Lead, Citi Private Bank.

From Malaysia announcing a major cabinet reshuffling yesterday to more Rohingya refugees landing in Indonesia's Aceh.  Nicholas Fang, Managing Director, Black Dot and Director for Security and Global Affairs, Singapore Institute of International Affairs gives us an analysis of those headlines and more.