Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

ESR REIT proposes to divest eight non-core Singapore assets for S$338.1 million, offering insights into capital recycling and balance-sheet management. Also in Singapore, OUE REIT has announced a S$100 million unsecured loan facility, raising questions about refinancing, liquidity, and investor sentiment in the current funding environment. In Asia, Japan’s latest Tankan survey showed large manufacturers’ sentiment at a four-year high, reinforcing expectations for a rate hike, while China’s November industrial output and fixed asset investment came in below forecasts, highlighting a softer-than-expected recovery. On Market View, Alexandra Parada speaks to Too Juncheong, Dealing Manager at Moomoo Singapore, to discuss more about the day’s biggest market movements.

As 2026 approaches, Singapore employees can expect moderate salary increases averaging 3 to 6 percent, as companies take a cautious approach amid ongoing economic uncertainty. According to a survey by ManpowerGroup and other HR firms, bonuses are also moderating, with more employers offering just one month or smaller payouts. Job switchers, however, can expect higher increases of 5 to 15 percent. On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong spoke with DrEe Cheng Ong, Associate Professor, Department of Economics at NUS to find out which sectors are benefiting most from these salary trends and how companies are deciding where to allocate higher pay increases. 

Welcome to the return of What’s Trending!  In this episode, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Alexandra Parada spoke all about Taylor Swift’s jaw-dropping $254 million tour bonuses, Dracula Land — a billion-euro vampire-themed park and tech hub in Romania — and a fiery debate over airline birthday cakes. From generosity and mega-bonuses to blockchain bats and in-flight dessert drama on Singapore Airlines, we unpack the stories, the reactions, and the surprises behind the headlines. Which story shocked you the most: Swift’s generosity, Dracula Land’s rise from the grave, or the birthday cake controversy?

As 2025 winds down, investors are taking stock of a year full of twists and turns. From NVIDIA’s blockbuster earnings boosting global tech sentiment to Singapore’s economy outperforming expectations with GDP growth tipped around 4%, there have been plenty of highlights, but the market volatility has been a stark reminder of the importance of staying strategically positioned. Should you tweak your portfolio? How can you balance chasing new opportunities while protecting yourself if the next cycle turns bumpy?  On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong spoke with  Ivan Neo, Wealth Manager, PhillipCapital toexplore what these developments mean for investors as 2026 approaches. 

The US could soon ask travellers, including those from Singapore, to share up to five years of social media history as part of immigration checks. Is this a step toward national security or an overreach that will make travel more complicated and intrusive? On The Big Story, Nadiah Koh speaks with Cedomir Nestorovic, Professor of Geopolitics, ESSEC Business School, Asia-Pacific to break down the motivations behind the policy, the pushback it’s facing, and what it could mean for anyone planning to visit America.

Emerging market bonds are stealing the spotlight in global fixed income this year. With local-currency debt up nearly 14% and hard-currency debt climbing 8.7% by August 2025, investors are asking: how can EM bonds strengthen your portfolio? From managing currency and credit risks to spotting the regions offering the best risk-adjusted returns, we break down what’s driving the EM bond story today. On Wealth Tracker, Nadiah Koh speaks to Leonard Kwan, Portfolio Manager for the T. Rowe Price Dynamic Emerging Markets Bond Strategy to find out more. 

Finding the perfect engagement ring is often seen as a milestone, but for many couples, the process can feel overwhelming or disconnected from the love it’s meant to celebrate. Cherish & Co is a bespoke jewelry studio redefining what an engagement ring experience can look like. From transforming your love story into a meaningful design to creating pieces that are deeply personal and symbolic, Cherish & Co shows how the right ring can be more than just a symbol. On The Right Business, Nadiah Koh speaks with Jovial Victoria, Founder of Cherish & Co. Bespoke Diamonds, to explore a quiet revolution in the world of jewelry, where intentionality, personal storytelling, and ethical craftsmanship take center stage.

Singapore shares rose today, tracking gains seen across Asian markets. The Straits Times Index was up 1.26% at 4,577.92 points at 1.15pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$816.74M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch for today, we have CDL, UOL, and GuocoLand, after DBS Research took a bullish stance on Singapore property counters, initiating a sector-wide lift in its target prices for developers including CDL, UOL and GuocoLand.  Elsewhere from how earnings from chip titan Broadcom failed to meet investors’ lofty expectations, to higher than expected initial jobless claims numbers out of the US, more corporate and international headlines remained in focus.  Also on deck, how Lululemon Athletica said its CEO Calvin McDonald was leaving the company without a replacement. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Jeremy Tan, CEO, Tiger Fund Management.

What if you could give someone a song made just for them, a melody that tells their story, captures their emotions, and celebrates their journey? Lyrica Song Gift, is Singapore’s first and only company creating personalised songs for weddings, branding, and life’s most meaningful moments. Every lyric and melody becomes a musical keepsake, turning memories into a gift that no traditional present could ever match. On The Right Business, Nadiah Koh speaks with Ray Zhang, Producer of Lyrica Song Gift, to find out how he transforms ordinary moments into unforgettable music.

Singapore’s latest job figures show signs of strain. Retrenchments edged up in the third quarter, job vacancies continued to fall, and more firms are planning layoffs. That’s all according to the Ministry of Manpower’s third quarter labour report released earlier today. At the same time, overall employment is still growing and there are still more job openings than unemployed persons, but the gap is closing. Workers are staying put, companies are cautious, and the labour market is clearly cooling. So what’s really driving these shifts? And should workers be bracing for a tougher 2026? On The Big Story, Nadiah Koh speaks with Ives Tay, Independent Workforce Development Consultant, as he helps us make sense of these trends and what they mean for Singaporeans heading into the new year.