Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Singapore shares were higher today as investors continue to track the outlook for global interest rates. The Straits Times Index was up 0.52% at 4,298.45 points at 2.35pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$716.37M seen in the broader market.  In terms of counters to watch, we have ST Engineering and ComfortDelGro. That’s after ComfortDelGro became the sole owner of taxi operator CityCab, after acquiring all of ST Engineering Land Systems’ shares for a total purchase consideration of S$116.3 million. Elsewhere, from movements in the Hong Kong Hang Seng after Alibaba’s stellar showing, to gold prices climbing to a new record as investors sought out safe havens – more international headlines remained in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Too Jun Cheong, Dealing Manager from Moomoo Singapore.

China announced that new home sales by its top 100 developers fell 17.6% year-on-year in August, marking six straight months of decline, even as the private manufacturing PMI rose to 50.5, its fastest pace in five months. Meanwhile, South Korea’s factory activity remained weak, with its PMI at 48.3, while new export orders dropped for the fifth consecutive month amid higher US tariffs. And Japan’s manufacturing PMI improved slightly to 49.7, but new export orders fell at the sharpest pace in nearly 18 months, even as firms added staff for the ninth month in a row and a new US trade deal promised tariff relief and investment. On Market View, Alexandra Parada speaks to Willie Keng, Founder of the Dividend Titan, about the latest market movements.

Evren is a next-generation secure workspace platform that helps modern enterprises enable safe, scalable, and efficient work for distributed teams.  Designed for organizations managing remote employees, contractors, and third-party collaborators, Evren delivers fully managed, policy-enforced work environments that run on any device without the complexity of traditional virtual desktops or restricted browsers. Evren combines zero-trust security, high-performance virtual infrastructure, and built-in compliance to protect sensitive corporate data while allowing teams to work freely and productively. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Gaurav Nagar, Founder & CEO, Evren, to find out more.

Violent protests have erupted across Jakarta and other Indonesian cities, sparked by public anger over lawmakers’ pay hikes and police violence that left a motorcycle taxi driver dead. What began as frustration over economic hardship has now escalated into a political crisis, with analysts warning it could destabilise President Prabowo Subianto’s administration. President Prabowo Subianto says political parties have agreed to revoke a number of perks and privileges for parliamentarians. Is this enough to quell unrest? How bad could it get for Prabowo? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Julia Lau, Editor, fulcrum.sg, Senior Fellow, and Coordinator of the Indonesia Studies Programme at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, to find out more. 

FX and gold have been choppy lately, but how can you tell if the market is worth trading, or if it’s better to sit out? Technical analysis offers clues, not just for short-term traders but also for long-term investors.  On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Lim Jun Kit, Senior Strategist, Phillip Nova, to break down the signals, the traps, and the tools to help make smarter decisions.

It’s been more than a decade since the Singapore National Team last lifted silverware - but Mustafic Fahrudin knows what it takes. In his first interview since becoming the Lions’ interim assistant coach, the 2-time AFF Champion shares the inside story of his partnership with Gavin Lee, preparations for Malaysia and India, and his hunger to help resurrect Singapore football. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

GuocoLand reported a 48% decline in half-year net profit to S$32.4 million, down from S$62.4 million a year ago, even as revenue rose 20% to S$906.3 million, highlighting the impact of losses in China on the company’s overall performance. Meanwhile, Shangri-La Asia posted a net profit of US$57.9 million for the first half, down 38.7% from US$94.5 million, while revenue remained steady at US$1.06 billion. Across the region, Japan’s industrial output fell 1.6% in July, with automobile production down 6.7%, while Tokyo food prices rose 7.4% year-on-year, reflecting persistent inflationary pressures that leave the Bank of Japan in a challenging policy position. Globally, Nvidia forecast roughly US$54 billion in revenue for its fiscal third quarter, meeting Wall Street’s average estimates but falling short of the most bullish projections. On Market View, Alexandra Parada speaks to  Benjamin Goh, Head of Research and Investor Education at SIAS, to discuss more about the latest market movements.

Hawkers at several Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centres are questioning why they continue to shoulder the costs of budget meals and app-driven discounts, despite recent changes easing other obligations. At Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre, management recently scrapped a controversial clause requiring stallholders to provide free meals for the needy at their own expense, a move that was initially met with relief. Yet many hawkers remain frustrated that they must still absorb costs tied to budget meals priced under $3.50 and 10 per cent discounts given through operator apps. While operators frame such schemes as customer loyalty initiatives, hawkers argue that the discounts eat into already thin margins amid rising ingredient and utility costs.  So, is it fair to treat social initiatives as a mandatory responsibility for hawkers? On The Hot Seat, Hongbin Jeong speaks with KF Seetoh, Makansutra Founder, Street Food Advocate and Entrepreneur and George Wong, Assistant Professor of Sociology, SMU, to find out more. 

Coffee is back in the spotlight and not for the reasons caffeine lovers might hope. Prices have spiked to their highest levels in over a decade, driven by US tariffs on Brazilian beans and weather shocks hitting supply. With China emerging as a possible new heavyweight buyer and Africa stepping up exports, the global coffee trade is being reshuffled in real time. So, are we looking at a new normal for coffee prices or just another jolt in a market that never sits still? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Lucrezia Cogliati, Commodities Analyst, BMI,to find out more.

Ever wondered how your bank or insurance app seems to know what you need—sometimes before you even do? It’s not magic. It’s AI, working quietly behind the scenes to power faster service, smarter recommendations, and seamless digital experiences. But making AI truly work for people—and feel relevant to local markets—is no easy feat. How are financial institutions in Southeast Asia and the Gulf pulling it off? And what role do smart regulations play in helping them innovate safely and fast? On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Tomas Skuomal, Chairman & Co-Founder of Dyna.ai, to find out more.