Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Singapore shares started the day higher. The Straits Times Index (STI) gained 0.2 per cent to 3,219.81 points in early trade after 44.8 million shares worth S$48.9 million changed hands in the broader market.  In terms of companies to watch for today, we have Singapore Airlines, after the flag carrier and its budget arm Scoot flew close to 2.7 million passengers in April 2023.  That’s an 85.5 per cent increase from the same month the year before when borders in Singapore were first fully reopened since the Covid-19 pandemic hit.  Elsewhere, investors continue to monitor a slew of corporate developments from Elon Musk’s X making its first acquisition to Warren Buffet closing his position on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and Alibaba’s investments in Taobao shopping app.  On Market View, the Drive Time team unpacked these developments with David Poh, Head of Investment and ESG Strategies, South Asia, Amundi. 

We delve into the football transfers that played a pivotal role in rescuing a player's career from the brink of obscurity. From high-profile stars to promising talents, we explore the transformative moments when a transfer provided a lifeline, reigniting their passion, form, and fortunes.  Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg | raushan@sph.com.sg

Bringing London's West End to the far reaches of the world. That’s what we are going to talk about today.  Our guest for today is the British Theatre Playhouse, a Singapore-incorporated theatre production company that has produced and presented a series of highly successful British productions in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates and the UK. Since its founding in 2004, the company has brought in over 20 shows to Singapore through events such as charity galas and has moved into musicals of late.  But what are the reasons behind the moves to diversify? And to what extent does dollars and cents have a part to play? Meanwhile, the company is also currently exploring gamification and on demand theatre plays, after witnessing how the world came to a standstill during the pandemic.  To what extent can its on-demand offerings increase the monetisation of its theatre productions. Also - how will increased monetisation of its production help the firm gain more funding from investors? On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian found out more about the ins and outs of the theatre production business from Cecilia Leong-Faulkner, Managing Director, British Theatre Playhouse.

If style was a school - Korean celebrities would be the master teachers of airport fashion. While many of us opt for comfortable looks of T-shirts and jogger pants, for Korean celebrities - even in transit, they don’t disappoint.  K-celebrities have taken the airport runway to another level - making it their own fashion runway.  Here are some of the top stars that have killed the game - before they soared to the skies.

The importance and value of art education is often overlooked in Singapore. However, interest in it is increasing amongst students. The University of Arts Singapore is a federation of two local arts colleges, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, and Lasalle College of the Arts. It aims to guide these students in their pursuit of the arts as well has having the goal of promoting Singapore in the arts scene in Southeast Asia. Professor Kwok Kian Woon, Vice-Chancellor, University of the Arts Singapore tells us more.

From US’ debt ceiling crisis to the possibility of former US President Donald Trump becoming president once again.  Trisha Craig, Vice President (Engagement) and Senior Lecturer of Social Sciences (Sociology and Political Science), Yale-NUS College gives us an analysis of those headlines and more. 

The demand for data literacy has become increasingly important in the e-commerce sector as many companies use this data to improve their internal processes. DataNoodle is a data analytics platform that has unique features to satisfy this demand. We discuss this further with Barry Roberts, CEO and Co-Founder, DataNoodle

Singapore shares started the week lower after US equities ended down on Friday. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) was down 0.1 per cent to 3,204.36 points after 63 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch for today, we have Genting Singapore. The company announced on Friday that its net profit more than tripled year-on-year to S$129.2 million for the first quarter ended March, though this is no reason for optimism if we dive deeper into the numbers.  Elsewhere, investors continue to monitor more developments out of the US including plans to resume debt ceiling talks tomorrow, and the meet-up between Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk and Samsung Electronics’ executive chairman JY Lee and the odds of a possible alliance. On Market View, the Drive Time team unpacked these developments with David Kuo, Co-founder, The Smart Investor.

Reports suggest that Chelsea have agreed terms to make former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino their new manager. He will join the club in the summer, with Frank Lampard remaining as interim manager until the end of the season. Is this the right move for the Blues? Elliott and Raushan weigh out the pros and cons! Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg | raushan@sph.com.sg

Our guest for today will certainly ring a bell, especially if you love to print out all your electronic documents. Drumrolls - we are talking about FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corporation, also formerly known as Fuji Xerox before a rebranding exercise done between 2020 and 2021.  From a copier printer company back in the early 1990s, FUJIFILM Business Innovation has now evolved to meet the demands of a digital economy. The firm’s portfolio now includes not only printing equipment, but also the manufacturing and sales of world-class workflow solutions.  In particular, FUJIFILM Innovation is setting its sights on the hybrid work phenomenon by offering document share services and electronic signatures.  Meanwhile, the company is also deepening its roots in its printer business. For one thing, FUJIFILM Business Innovation Singapore has taken its first step towards the Direct-to-Consumer market this year, by working with e-commerce platform Lazada to launch the brand’s first official LazMall flagship store in Singapore in March.  But really - what else can we look forward to as the company positions itself for the next bound of growth?  On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian finds more about the company’s priorities ahead with  Adeline Goh, Chief Marketing Officer, FUJIFILM Business Innovation Singapore.