Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

BOVEM is Singapore’s modern men’s grooming brand, committed to redefining personal care with quality, precision-grade products designed for an elevated grooming experience. Founded in 2020 by two SMU students, BOVEM was born from a personal mishap and a mission to solve the lack of safe, effective tools for below-the-waist grooming,especially in Asia. With meticulous attention to detail and a touch of fun, BOVEM crafts everyday essentials like the Globe™ Trimmer, engineered to eliminate nicks and cuts while being 100% waterproof for convenience. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Lydon Ong, Co-Founder, BOVEM, to find out more.

A slew of policy changes will kick in, starting with the upcoming HDB Build-To-Order (BTO) flat sales exercise in July, benefiting singles as well as families looking to upgrade or right-size their homes. One of which benefiting singles involves a previously announced new Family Care Scheme, meant to provide singles with priority access to BTO flats when they buy one near or with their parents. But what do these changes mean for housing demand, affordability, and long-term financial stability? And how might they shift dynamics in the resale and public rental markets? On The Big Story, Dr Lee Nai Jia, Head of Real Estate Intelligence, PropertyGuru Group, to find out more. 

Singapore shares rose today, breaking above the 4,200 point mark at one point.  The Straits Times Index was up 0.34% at 4,203.87 points at 11.58am Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$680.51M seen in the broader market.  In terms of companies to watch, we have Lum Chang Creations, after the company made its trading debut on the Catalist board of the Singapore Exchange today under the trading name “Lum Chang Creat” and trading code “LCC”.  Elsewhere, from Hong Kong topping 25,000 points for the first time in three years, to movements relating to the Japanese yen after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba vowed to stay on even after another election defeat – more international headlines remained in focus. Plus – how Microsoft issued an alert about “active attacks” on server software used by government agencies and businesses to share documents within organisations, and recommended security updates that customers should apply immediately. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with David Kuo, Co-founder, The Smart Investor.

From injury comebacks to national team heartbreaks, Singaporean midfielders Jacob Mahler and Joel Chew have lived the highs and lows of football. Now reunited at BG Tampines Rovers - the duo sit down with Sports Minutes to talk about their friendship, football ambition, and what it means to be part of Singapore’s next generation. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

Pop Mart says its profits are set to surge, but the market isn’t convinced. Despite projecting a 350% jump in earnings and booming global demand for its designer toys, the company’s shares tumbled over 6% after the announcement. With the stock up nearly 600% in the past year, investors are asking: Is Pop Mart overvalued? Is this still a high-growth story or a hype-driven risk? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Jeff Zhang, CFA, Equity Analyst, Morningstar, to find out more. 

In a world where wellness trends come and go, one Singapore brand is going back to the basics, starting with the very thing we do 22,000 times a day, called breathing.  And at the heart of this movement is Therapin, a homegrown company that believes transformative change begins with a single, intentional breath. The Therapin Nose Strip is designed to help you breathe better, live better, and feel better.  But while on a mission to champion mental wellness, resilience, and holistic health in every aspect of our lives, how are they enacting change just with breathing? On the Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Cliff Leck Kai Long and Mohamed Khai Irfan, Founders of Therapin, to find out more.

In recent years, weight-loss drugs have exploded in popularity with Ozempic in particular being hailed by some as a “miracle”.  Originally developed to treat patients with Type 2 diabetes, Ozempic’s side effect of appetite suppression has made it widely used and some argue that it is widely misused for the purpose of losing weight. So, with the rising demand for these drugs among people without diabetes and endorsements by A-list celebrities, are we witnessing a medical revolution or will this shortcut cause even more problems for people who are obese or overweight? On The Hot Seat, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Dr Sue-Anne Toh, Co-Founder, CEO, and Medical Director of NOVI Health and Adjunct Associate Professor, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore and Dr Shanker Pasupathy, Senior Consultant and Medical Director, Digestive Centre, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, to find out whether the benefits of weight loss drugs are worth the risk.

Singapore shares moved higher today amid mixed trading in the region. The Straits Times Index was up 0.54% at 4,184.04 points at 12.53pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$607.68M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Food Empire, after the group today announced its partnership with Santan Food Services, a brand under an AirAsia unit, to co-develop and launch a range of ready-to-drink beverages.  Elsewhere, from more on Netflix’s latest quarterly earnings to how the US Commerce Department is set to impose preliminary anti-dumping duties of 93.5 per cent on Chinese imports of graphite, a key battery component, more corporate and international headlines remain in focus.    On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Benjamin Goh, Head of Research and Investor Education, SIAS.

The latest Fitch Global Economic Outlook offers a cautiously optimistic update on the world’s economic growth for 2025 and 2026, fueled by easing US-China trade tensions. Yet, beneath this optimism lie significant challenges, from tariff uncertainties and slowing consumer demand in major economies to inflation pressures stirred by volatile oil prices. Central banks face tough decisions amid diverging policies and persistent inflation.  In this complex and shifting landscape, what does the future hold for global growth? How should businesses and investors navigate these headwinds? And which regions or sectors might emerge stronger despite the uncertainty? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Charles Seville, Senior Director in Fitch Ratings’ Economics team, to find out more.

Wonderbewbz is Singapore’s leading freeze-drying breast milk service, created to help mums preserve their milk while honouring the unseen effort behind every drop. Born from a deeply personal journey, Wonderbewbz has grown from one mum’s need into a trusted service with an ISO-certified cleanroom, a dedicated operations team, and over 500 mothers supported across Singapore and beyond. They're now expanding into setting industry standards, developing R&D-backed products for mums and babies, and forging partnerships that bring real, meaningful support to the postpartum community. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Jolene Ruth Tan, Founder, Wonderbewbz, to find out more.