Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Eight members of the 2022 Singapore national women’s tchoukball team have decided to give back to their association after they were named Team of the Year for the first time at the Singapore Sports Awards - pledging to donate their share of the $10,000 prize money. Why? Tune in to find out as Delane Lim, President of the Tchoukball Association of Singapore, and Irene Tan, team captain join us on Sports Minutes. READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/women-s-tchoukball-team-donate-part-of-their-10k-prize-money-for-future-generations 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 the global market. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) headed down 0.4 per cent to 3,169.14 points after 65.1 million securities changed hands in the broader market.  In terms of companies to watch today, we have Frasers Property, after the group announced yesterday that it will start a partnership with SP Group to develop and implement smart-energy solutions at Binh Duong Industrial Park in Vietnam.  Meanwhile, from the impact of missed payments by Chinese financial conglomerate Zhongzhi to listed firms in the country, to the Jackson Hole Symposium underway in the US – more international headlines are in focus today. On Market View, the Drive Time team unpacked the developments with Benjamin Goh, Head of Research and Investor Education, SIAS.

From wheat, sugar, cashew, to cotton and even rice. Today we’re going to take you through a company that specialises in the physical buying and selling of such agri-commodities.  Incorporated in 1990, Agrocorp International is a leading integrated agri-commodities and food solutions provider, with a strong presence in emerging markets like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and India.  It also secured sustainability loans from the International Finance Corporation to sustain the flow of calorie-rich staples to Bangladesh. But what bearing does this have on Agrocorp’s financials? Away from South Asia, the firm established an upstream presence by investing into pulse processing plants in Canada and Australia. But what are the reasons for locating the facilities in these developed markets?  Meanwhile, Agrocorp also moved into the plant-based meat alternatives scene by developing the first plant-based, nut free cheese range in Singapore with support from the Singapore Institute of Technology and Enterprise Singapore.  To what extent have such moves to diversify reaped tangible benefits for the firm? On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Vishal Vijay, Director, Strategic Investments, Agrocorp International.

Experience a journey through time at Pullman Singapore Orchard this National Day month. Immerse yourself in an exhibition that showcases photographs of Singapore's rich history, while savouring an exclusive menu by their restaurant, offering a selection of hearty local dishes. The upcoming exhibition 'Once Upon an Island: Images of Singapore', will showcase the remarkable works of the late photographer and documentary filmmaker, Dr. Ivan Polunin. To find out more, we speak with Rob McIntyre, General Manager, Pullman Singapore Orchard.

According to the Singapore Human Resources Institute, Singapore is poised to encounter a significant talent shortage, with a projected shortfall of 1.5 million skilled workers by 2030. In response to these trends, companies are increasingly turning to automated tools to streamline their recruitment processes. We find out from Ben Chew, founder and Managing Director of Talentvis Singapore how talent shortage, remote work, digital skills demand, and automated recruitment tools are reshaping the workforce landscape in Singapore. 

An overhaul of the classification system for mature and non-mature estates and a new retirement support package for workers born in 1973 or earlier are among the key announcements in Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s National Day Rally speech last weekend.  Were there any topics that should be covered but were not? What reactions are we getting from the ground so far? Paulin Tay Straughan, Professor of Sociology (Practice), Singapore Management University shares more. 

Singapore shares opened stronger today), following overnight gains on Wall Street led by a rally in tech stocks. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) rose 0.4 per cent to 3,187.36 points, after 91.0 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Sabana Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust.  That’s after activist investor Quarz Capital declared that the trustee of Sabana Reit should take no more than three to four months to do the preparatory work required to set up a new internal Reit manager.  Elsewhere from Nvidia’s forecast busting earnings to Citi Research increasing its target price on Grab after it reported a narrowed net loss for the second quarter, more corporate headlines are in focus.  On Market View, the Drive Time team dived into the details with Terence Wong, CEO, Azure Capital.

Three new robot baristas have made their way to Singapore’s Changi Airport to  deliver artisanal, high-quality coffee 24/7.  Ella, the first fully autonomous AI-powered barista by Crown Digital is here to give travellers passing through Terminal 2 and Terminal 3’s Departure Transit Halls their coffee fix and also a taste of Singapore with the Changi Airport exclusive drink, the Pandan Tea Latte.  We speak with Keith Tan, CEO, Crown Digital to find out more. 

Step into a world of extraordinary experiences as IHG Hotels & Resorts  unveils its latest chapter of hospitality excellence across the enchanting landscapes of Asia.   Expect new travel experiences from the vibrant streets of Bangkok, the tranquil coastal hideaways of Danang, the cultural haven of Osaka, and the cosmopolitan wonders of Singapore and beyond. We find out what to expect and other top travel trends for 2023 with Rajit Sukumaran, Managing Director, South East Asia and Korea, IHG Hotels & Resorts. 

The 15th Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) summit kicked off in South Africa on Tuesday.  Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday in a virtual address to the BRICS summit that the process of de-dollarization is 'irreversible' and 'gaining pace'.  Can BRICS dethrone the US dollar? We pose this question to Antonio Fatás, Professor of Economics, INSEAD.