Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

Singapore’s carbon tax has nearly doubled, jumping from $25 to $45 per tonne, and that change is starting to show up where it matters most: household utility bills. The average four-room HDB flat could soon pay more each month, even if falling energy prices are offering short-term relief. With rebates in place for now but bigger hikes ahead, what does this really mean for your wallet, and are Singaporeans ready for the long-term impact? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Dr Chua Yeow Hwee, Assistant Professor in Economics at the Nanyang Technological University, and Honorary Secretary of the Economics Society of Singapore, to find out more.

After a year marked by trade shocks, political uncertainty, and a sharp pause in dealmaking, private markets are entering 2026 with a very different tone. Confidence is rebuilding, activity is picking up, and capital is once again moving, but beneath the surface, investors are still asking some hard questions about liquidity, valuations, and what comes next. So how durable is this recovery? Where are the real opportunities, and what risks are still being underestimated? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Dominic Goh, Managing Director, HarbourVest Partners to find out more.

On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Alexandra Parada dive into how a college student went viral after emailing her professor for permission to use her iPad in class to join the BTS ticket queue, sparking a wider conversation about how far fans will go for concert tickets. That debate only intensified when fans were revealed to be flying to South Korea to use ultra-fast PC café internet to gain an edge in ticketing wars, despite the steep costs of flights, accommodation, and premium seats, raising the big question: just how much is one concert worth?

Singapore shares rose today, driven by banking heavyweights UOB and OCBC. The Straits Times Index was up 1.26% at 4,889.27 points at 2.34pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.17B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Suntec Real Estate Investment Trust, after the Reit recorded a distribution per unit (DPU) of S$0.0388 (3.88 Singapore cents) for the second half-year ended Dec 31, 2025.  Elsewhere, from how Singapore’s full-year core inflation for 2025 came in at 0.7 per cent, to how the Bank of Japan raised its growth estimate and maintained its hawkish inflation forecasts as it kept interest rates steady, more economic headlines remained in focus. Also on deck – more on Intel’s latest results as the chipmaker struggles to meet AI data centre demand. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Benjamin Goh, Head of Research and Investor Education, SIAS.

When change happens behind the scenes and silence follows online, speculation fills the void. So with Hougang United in flux, Sports Minutes sits down with Panarai “Otto” Pansiri and Walid Lounis to separate fact from fiction. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

US President Donald Trump is rolling out his latest global gambit: the “Board of Peace.” With an eye-popping $1 billion price tag for permanent seats and an invitation-only model, the initiative is already raising eyebrows. Is it a genuine attempt to stabilize conflict zones like Gaza, or a bold move to sideline the United Nations and reshape global governance? Who stands to gain, and who might be left out? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Amin Saikal, Adjunct Senior Fellow at S.Rajaratnam School of International Studies, NTU, to find out more. We explore what this $1B experiment could mean for diplomacy, global power, and the future of international institutions, and why countries like Singapore are reportedly still weighing whether to join.

One episode. Two very different takes on family. On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong is joined with Sports Minutes host Ziaul Raushan to dive into family drama and family goals. They discuss the recent Beckham family feud, from wedding snubs to social media blockings, before turning to a far more uplifting story: an 81-year-old grandmother who became a Minecraft streamer to support her grandson, and in the process captured hearts around the world.

All eyes are on Japan’s yen.  The currency has been sliding to levels we haven’t seen in almost two years, edging close to the 160 mark against the US dollar. That’s putting policymakers on alert, with warnings about sharp, one-way moves and what they could mean for the wider economy. So what’s behind this sustained weakness in the yen? And if the slide continues, how might it affect Japan, and ripple through global markets? To unpack this, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Peter Chia, Senior FX Strategist at UOB, on Wealth Tracker.

Singapore shares inched higher today, tracking a positive session seen on Wall Street overnight. The Straits Times Index was up 0.44% at 4,830.89 points at 11.48am Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$853.16M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Info-Tech Systems, after the software provider said yesterday that it expects to report a “considerable increase” in its consolidated net profit for FY2025, compared with the full-year ended Dec 31, 2024.  Elsewhere, from how US President Donald Trump retreated from using threats of force as an option for acquiring Greenland and what that means for markets, to how South Korea’s stock benchmark topped 5,000 points for the first time, more international headlines remained in focus. Also on deck, Toku’s IPO on the Singapore Exchange, and Netflix’s offer to buy Warner Bros. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director, Azure Capital.

What does it take to protect wealth in a world where markets can swing overnight and geopolitical tensions can upend investment strategies? And when the next generation inherits not just assets but responsibility, are they truly ready? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Sujano Supianto, High Net Worth Financial Services Director, SJ Group to explore how HNW and UHNW families are rethinking wealth for volatile times, shifting from a focus on growth alone to strategies that prioritize resilience, optionality, and downside protection. From portfolio adjustments to trusts, and even passing on values alongside capital, the rules are changing.