Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

It’s now time for a Special, year-end edition of Market View, where we not only take you though how the Singapore stock market closed for the day, but also step back to examine three key themes that have shaped markets over the year, and will continue to matter as we head into 2026. The three themes are: First, whether the global AI boom can move beyond hype and experimentation into a phase of real productivity gains and earnings delivery.  Second, uncertainty over the US Federal Reserve’s interest rate trajectory and whether we’re truly approaching a more balanced phase of growth, inflation and policy. And finally, China’s economic transition and whether domestic consumption can meaningfully offset weaker property investment and export headwinds amid ongoing global trade tensions.  On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director, Azure Capital and Olivia Ding, Investment Analyst, Reed Capital Partners.   

Welcome to another episode of What's Trending! Today’s headlines are pure chaos and Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Nazirul Asrar break it all down. Lawmakers in Mexico’s Congress took their debate way too far, resorting to armpit tickling and grappling on the chamber floor. Meanwhile, a KLM flight to Aruba was canceled thanks to an unexpected stowaway: a rat with apparently bigger travel plans than the passengers. And if that wasn’t wild enough, a Japanese woman held a symbolic wedding… with her very own customized ChatGPT AI.

Singapore’s key exports surged 11.6% in November, well above expectations, driven by strong growth in pharmaceuticals and electronics. Over in Japan, exports rose 6.1%, led by robust demand from the US and Europe, even as shipments to China fell. Still in Asia, the Indian rupee hit fresh record lows, highlighting continued currency pressures across emerging markets.  On Market View, Alexandra Parada speaks to Thilan Wickramasinghe, Head of Equity Research at Maybank Securities, to discuss more about the day’s biggest market movements.

Geopolitics, higher tariffs, and a global supply-chain reset are changing where money flows, and that shift is only picking up pace into 2026. Aberdeen’s latest outlook lays out six big macro forces shaping the year ahead. So what does this mean for emerging markets? Who stands to gain, and who could be left facing fresh headwinds? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Michael Langham, Emerging Markets Economist at Aberdeen, to find out more.

5G networks are rolling out across the region, promising faster speeds and better connectivity.  But concerns have emerged about whether these high-speed signals could interfere with aircraft systems, especially during critical phases like landing.  So far in Singapore, authorities say there have been no reported issues, but globally, regulators and airlines are keeping a close eye on the situation.  So what does 5G interference really mean,  Why does it matter? And what could it mean for travellers flying in and out of the region? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong breaks down all of this with Shantanu Gangakhedkar, Senior Consultant & Commercial Aviation Lead at Frost & Sullivan. 

Welcome to the another day of What’s Trending! In this episode, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Alexandra Parada scratch their heads over Merriam-Webster’s 2025 Word of the Year, “slop" because apparently our feeds are now officially a digital soup of nonsense, and Secret Santa disasters that went way too far, from awkward gifts to painfully timed “jokes” in the office. And finally, a feel-good twist: a delivery rider in Malaysia receives a jaw-dropping RM1,000 Grab tip, turning a routine delivery into an unforgettable one.

Singapore Airlines reported a 2.6% year-on-year increase in passenger traffic in November, reaching 13.3 billion passenger-kilometres, slightly outpacing the 2.2% growth in capacity across its full-service and budget carriers. In Japan, the latest PMI data showed manufacturing activity remained in contraction at 49.7, though improving from 48.7 in November, while services growth eased slightly to 52.5 from 53.2, pointing to a mixed economic outlook as the country heads into 2026. Meanwhile in Australia, consumer sentiment fell 9% to 94.5 in December, slipping back below the 100-mark as households grapple with renewed concerns over inflation and interest rates. On Market View, Alexandra Parada speaks to Kelvin Wong, Senior Analyst at OANDA, to discuss more about the day’s biggest market movements.

The number of families receiving ComCare’s Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance (SMTA) fell to a five-year low in 2024, reflecting improvements in the economy, the job market, and other government support programs. And while short-term financial aid helps families meet their basic needs, nearly half of households who left SMTA in 2021 returned for assistance within three years, highlighting ongoing financial challenges. On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Nathan Peng, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Singapore Management University (SMU), to discuss the drop in SMTA recipients and how government programs are supporting lower-income families in both the short and long term.

According to a survey from Sun Life, amongst Singapore respondents, 67% said they worry their wealth won’t outlast their children, and only half expressed full confidence that their heirs would honour their wishes or preserve and grow inherited assets. The survey highlighted a significant preparedness gap: whilst many recognise the importance of planning, only 43% feel fully prepared today. Just 25% have both completed and communicated their plans, whilst 35% have only partial plans in place. About 17% have taken no action. On The Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Lionel Lee, Money Expert, The Better Foundation, to find out more.

Welcome to the second day of What’s Trending! In this episode, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Alexandra Parada dive into the internet’s most talked-about moments of the day, from a Singaporean who turned down a S$1.3 million offer for a rare Pokémon card in hopes it’ll be worth even more, to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s Spotify Wrapped sparking online chatter. We also head to China, where an unexpected Zootopia 2 breakout star, Gary De'Snake, is inspiring fans to buy real-life, venomous pit vipers, raising eyebrows and safety concerns.