Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

AI headlines are set to dominate 2026, but with sky-high valuations and markets that have outpaced economic reality, investors are asking: where are the real opportunities, and how can you protect your portfolio from potential shocks? To find out more, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Angelina Lai, Chief Investment Officer, Asia and Middle East, St. James’s Place,on Wealth Tracker.

Singapore shares dipped today, tracking movements in most Asian markets. The Straits Times Index was down 0.21% at 4,802.25 points at 11.58am Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$573.84M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have UOB, after the bank priced S$850 million in perpetual capital securities at 3 per cent under the bank’s US$30 billion Global Medium Term Note Programme.  Elsewhere, from how South Korea’s central bank left its benchmark interest rate unchanged in a widely expected move, to how Alibaba Group Holding plans to link its flagship online shopping and travel services to its artificial intelligence app, more international and corporate headlines remained in focus.  Also on deck, how US President Donald Trump imposed a 25 per cent tariff on certain AI chips. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director, Azure Capital.

Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh has been formally removed as Leader of the Opposition, following Parliament’s vote declaring him unsuitable to continue in the role and his conviction for lying to the Committee of Privileges. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has since invited the Workers’ Party to nominate another MP to take over the position.  So what happens next? How quickly will the Workers’ Party move to put forward a new name, and who might be in the running? And what does this moment mean for the balance of power and parliamentary dynamics in Singapore? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Nydia Ngiow, Managing Director, BowerGroupAsia, to find out more.

On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Alexandra Parada dive into the trending stories of today from a viral Chinese app that asks “Are You Dead?” to a wildly expressive toy-filled BTO flat and Mattel’s first-ever autistic Barbie. We explore why millions are paying for a daily “I’m alive” check-in amid growing loneliness, how a Singapore couple’s maximalist home is sparking debate over self-expression versus overstimulation, and whether an autistic Barbie represents meaningful inclusion or clever marketing.

We’re following Parliament live, where an unprecedented and highly charged debate is unfolding over the future of Leader of the Opposition, Pritam Singh. Minister Indranee Rajah has tabled a motion questioning whether the Workers’ Party chief remains fit to continue in the role, setting the stage for one of the most consequential parliamentary debates in recent years. The debate comes in the wake of Mr Singh’s conviction for lying to the Committee of Privileges about the advice he gave former WP MP Raeesah Khan, who had earlier admitted to concealing an untruth in Parliament. What are the key exchanges from the House? How far could this motion go in shaping the final outcome? Could Pritam Singh lose his position as Leader of the Opposition? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Dr Gillian Koh, Senior Research Fellow from the Institute of Policy Studies, National University of Singapore, to find out more.

Gold is climbing fast, nearing multi-year highs. Why? The US has just taken dramatic action in Venezuela, markets are jittery, and investors are racing for safe havens. But is this rally all about geopolitics, or is something bigger at play? To find out how you can invest like a viking, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Richard Wang, Country Manager (Singapore), J. Rotbart & Co.,on Wealth Tracker.

Singapore shares dipped today despite regional markets registering gains. The Straits Times Index was down 0.14% at 4,800.26 points at 2.16pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$796.06M seen in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch today, we have Centurion after the property manager said yesterday that the development and divestment of Epiisod Macquarie Park under a forward purchase agreement have taken place.  Elsewhere, from how China’s trade surplus climbed to US$1.2 trillion in 2025, to what is at stake in the US Supreme Court’s tariff ruling, more economic and international headlines remained in focus.   On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Dan Chang, Investment Specialist and Trading Representative, PhillipCapital.

As Singapore prepares for its first-ever wheelchair rugby appearance at the ASEAN Para Games, Sports Minutes sits down with the leaders who made it possible. From limited resources to growing belief, this candid conversation reveals the challenges of building a para-sport ecosystem, the pride of finally flying the flag, and what support could mean for the next generation. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

Singapore’s healthcare landscape is shifting. Private insurance is tightening: starting April, new Integrated Shield Plan riders will no longer fully cover deductibles, and co-payment caps are set to double to at least $6,000 a year. At the same time, Parliament has passed a law requiring all healthcare providers to share patients’ key medical data through the National Electronic Health Record. What does this mean for Singaporeans? Will hospital visits take longer, or could care actually become more efficient? And with more data sharing than ever before, how will your personal health information be safeguarded? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Dr Akshar Saxena, Assistant Professor of Economics at Nanyang Technological University, to unpack these changes and what they mean for everyday healthcare access.

On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Alexandra Parada share trending stories from insuring love to outsourcing emotional support and finding comfort in a crying toy. We began with a viral tale from China where a woman cashed out a decade-old “love insurance” policy after marrying her long-term partner, sparking debate over whether romance can, or should, be insured. We then looked at the rise of paid “instant reply providers”, strangers who earn money simply by responding immediately to people who need to vent, revealing how attention and emotional validation have become commodities. And finally, we examined how a factory error turned a sad-faced toy horse into an internet sensation, resonating with overworked netizens who saw their own burnout reflected in its teary expression.