Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Singapore stocks were little changed today, amid a mixed performance in global markets. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) dropped 0.01 per cent to 3,215.09 points after  25.7 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we do have  Nio, after the Chinese electric vehicle maker said yesterday that it had “no reportable capital raising activity”. This was in response to media reports that the company is considering raising around US$3 billion in capital from investors.  Elsewhere from TikTok shopping facing headwinds in Indonesia to JPMorgan Chase’s CEO comments of a worse-case scenario of rates hitting 7 per cent in the US, more corporate and international headlines remain in focus.  On Market View, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked these developments with  Toby Gresham, Investment Counselor Team Lead, Citi Private Bank.

We’ve talked about electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircrafts on the show. They come in the form of flying cars, air taxis or even delivery drones.  But just like how cars need to be parked at car parks or garages, and how aeroplanes need to stay at airports, flying cars and delivery drones also need to be parked somewhere once they reach their destinations.  Our guest for today designed the equivalent of car parks for such aircrafts.  Founded in 2019, Urban-Air Port designs, develops, manufactures, sells and operates ground, air and digital infrastructure.  More notably, the firm had in April last year opened what it calls the world’s first fully operational urban air-port and charging hub for eVTOL vehicles in Coventry in the UK  to spearhead a new age of zero-emission, low-congestion urban transport.  With Mordor Intelligence estimating the urban air mobility market to grow to US$36.75 billion by 2035, how lucrative is it for players to build hubs that specifically caters to this category of aerial vehicles?  And how will the competitive landscape change in the near term? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Andrea Wu, CEO, Urban-Air Port.

While Postecoglu has made a splash to life at Spurs, Pochettino's time at the Chelsea has got off to a difficult start. Tottenham have seemingly adopted Ange-ball in a matter of weeks, while the Blues continue to struggle to justify their billion-dollar wage bill. With patience running thin amongst the Stamford Bridge faithful, we wonder if identities actually matter in football?  James Walton, sports business group leader for Deloitte South-east Asia and ardent Tottenham fan weighs in! Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg | raushan@sph.com.sg

Singapore shares fell today, after Wall Street and Europe closed lower the week before amid concerns over prolonged elevated global interest rates. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) dropped 0.2 per cent to 3,199.12 points after 35.4 million securities changed hands in the broader market.. In terms of companies to watch for today, we have Frasers Centrepoint Trust after its trustee has agreed to divest 143.9 million units in Malaysia’s Hektar Real Estate Investment Trust (Hektar Reit).  Meanwhile from more on Sheng Siong to Singapore’s headline inflation numbers and to China’s property stocks slumping ahead of the Golden week holiday, more local and regional headlines remain in focus.  On Market View, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked these developments with David Kuo, Co-founder, The Smart Investor.

Typically when people think of classical music, they envision composers like Mozart, Schumann, and Mendelssohn. But far too often, their female counterparts are overlooked.  Our next guest is an Australian composer of classical music. And from the age of five, she studied piano and music theory under her parent’s tutelage and at eight began learning the cello which coincided with her first experimentations in composition. Dr Melody Eötvös, Senior Lecturer in Composition, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne share with us, her personal journey in the tough global industry of classical music. 

Customer segmentation and targeting are essential for any business that wants to optimise its marketing and sales strategies. By dividing your customers into groups based on their characteristics, needs, preferences, and behaviours, you can tailor your messages, offers, and channels to suit each segment.  But how can a company use CRM to segment and target your customers effectively? Terri Chan, Group VP of Growth, HealthMetrics shares her company's experience in implementing a CRM platform. 

The prospect of a US government shutdown grows more likely with each passing day as lawmakers have yet to reach a deal to extend funding past a critical deadline at the end of the month. Can a US government shut down be averted? And what could likely happen if the government shuts down?  Trisha Craig, Vice President (Engagement) and Senior Lecturer of Social Sciences (Sociology and Political Science), Yale-NUS College explains more. 

This company will certainly ring a bell for those who’ve been keeping an eye on the movers on the Singapore exchange.  Our guest for today is DFI Retail Group, or a leading pan-Asian retailer that owns the Cold Storage and Giant chains of supermarkets, Guardian pharmacies and 7-Eleven convenience stores here in Singapore. At a group level, DFI Retail operates over 10,500 outlets in 13 countries and territories and has a workforce of over 216,000 people.  It returned to the black with a net profit of US$8 million for the first half of this year, after logging a net loss of US$58 million in the previous year.  But to what extent does this reflect improved household spending, particularly on food and groceries?  On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Yoep Man, Managing Director, Food, Singapore, DFI Retail Group,  who is in charge of DFI Retail Group’s food and supermarket business.

Singapore Premier League defending champions Albirex Niigata (S) have announced a shift in policy from being a club with mainly Japanese professionals to one with predominantly Singaporean players. So why have the club decided to go local, and why now - ahead of their 20th season in top flight Singapore football? We speak to Dominic Wong, Albirex Niigata Team Manager & Club Executive and Hilman Norhisam, 19-year old Singaporean Albirex player to find out! Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg | raushan@sph.com.sg

Sky-high restaurant SKAI refreshes its à la carte menu under the leadership of new executive chef Seumas Smith. With a firm appreciation for the art of Japanese cookery, this new menu is a celebration of the Japanese produce. For more on what you can experience at the contemporary grill, situated on the 70th floor of the acclaimed Swissôtel The Stamford, we speak with Seumas Smith, Executive Chef, SKAI.