Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Singapore’s tourism sector has bounced back strongly in 2025, with tourism receipts hitting a record S$23.9 billion in the first three quarters—a year-on-year growth of over 6%. International visitor arrivals reached around 16.9 million, slightly below earlier forecasts, according to the Singapore Tourism Board. What’s fueling this robust performance? Is it a short-term rebound, or a sign of longer-term growth for the sector? And what does this mean for Singapore’s tourism outlook in 2026 and beyond? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Christopher Khoo, Managing Director of MasterConsult Services, to unpack the trends shaping Singapore’s tourism industry and what they mean for businesses, travellers, and the economy.

Investing has never been more accessible. Across Asia, digital platforms and zero-commission trading have put the markets in the hands of millions of DIY investors. But greater access doesn’t always translate into better returns. Studies show that many DIY investors underperform the benchmarks, even with a wealth of tools and information at their fingertips. So what’s really behind the gap? Are common mistakes, behavioral biases, or social media trends holding investors back? And how can you shift from reactive, transactional trading to building long-term wealth? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Polka Mishra, Partner at Javelin Wealth Management, to find out more.

On today’s episode of What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Alexandra Parada explore the bizarre new social platform Moltbook, where 1.4 million AI agents post, debate, and even comfort each other without a single human in sight. They unpack what it means to watch digital minds interact, the eerie hive-mind-like behavior of these bots, and why humans might be quietly losing skills as AI takes over more of our thinking. Leaving the world of AI behind, they turn to a more familiar battleground: Pepsi vs. Coca‑Cola. From the legendary Pepsi Challenge to a cheeky new Super Bowl ad where Coke’s iconic polar bear picks Pepsi, we unpack the ads, the rivalry, and the fast-growing market numbers shaking up the cola wars.

Singapore shares rose today as Asian markets rebounded from the previous day’s losses. The Straits Times Index was up 1.04% at 4,943.04 points at 2.30pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.06B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have the Singapore Exchange given how the bourse operator and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) are working on paving the way for forward-looking disclosures by listed companies.  Elsewhere, from how Australia’s central bank raised its benchmark policy rate for the first time in two years today, to how US President Donald Trump said tariffs on Indian goods would be cut from 50% to 18% in return for New Delhi halting Russian oil purchases and lowering trade barriers, more international headlines remained in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Kelvin Wong, Senior Analyst, OANDA.

On April 1, Singapore will officially launch its National Space Agency, setting its sights on growing the space sector, managing satellites, and boosting space monitoring capabilities. Since 2022, the government has poured over $200 million into space research, and the local industry already includes 70 companies and around 2,000 professionals. With co-ownership of three Earth observation satellites and a track record of more than 30 satellite launches over the past 20 years, Singapore is no stranger to space. But in a universe dominated by superpowers and billion-dollar private ventures, can this small nation truly stake its claim? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Simon Gwozdz, Chief Executive and Founder of Equatorial Space Systems, to find out more.

The US dollar is sliding to levels not seen in years, the euro and sterling are surging, the Japanese yen is staging a dramatic turnaround, and the Singapore dollar is at an 11-year high. What’s driving these moves, and more importantly, what should investors do to protect their portfolios? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Lim Jun Kit, Senior Strategist, Phillip Nova, for the latest.

On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Nadiah Koh dive into the stories everyone’s talking about. First, we explore a viral sensation out of China: a scrap metal refiner nicknamed “The Alchemist” who extracted real gold from discarded SIM cards, sparking a rush for old electronics online. Could your junk drawer be hiding treasure?  Then, we turn the spotlight to Hollywood and politics, with Melania Trump’s new documentary. Despite harsh reviews from critics, audiences are loving it. With an ‘A’ CinemaScore and a $7 million opening, it’s the biggest documentary debut in a decade. We unpack why it’s dividing critics and fans alike, and what this tells us about celebrity, curiosity, and the stories we can’t stop watching.  

Singapore shares fell today to track movements in Asian equities. The Straits Times Index was down 0.72% at 4,869.73 points at 2.14pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.22B seen in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have ST Engineering, after the company launched its largest unmanned cargo aircraft to date at the media preview of the Singapore Airshow yesterday, along with other products from its defence and urban solutions divisions.  Elsewhere, from how private sector surveys out today showed Asia’s factory activity expanded in January, to Alibaba spending three billion yuan (S$549 million) to attract users to its Qwen artificial intelligence (AI) app during the Chinese New Year holiday, more corporate and international headlines remained in focus. Also on deck, what to watch ahead of earnings from tech majors ⁠Alphabet, Amazon and AMD. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Thilan Wickramasinghe, Head of Equity Research, Maybank Securities.

From in fighting cubs to in form players, under fire coaches to underwhelming foreign signings - Sports Minutes recaps all the talking points from another round of Singapore Premier League matches...and more! READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/spotted-lions-coach-gavin-lee-on-the-train-hed-like-you-to-say-hi Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

Singapore’s education system has seen multiple reforms aimed at reducing academic pressure, from changes to streaming and PSLE scoring to a greater focus on holistic development. Yet, high-stakes exams continue to influence school placements, family decisions, and significant spending on tuition and enrichment. This week, the Ministry of Education announced it is reviewing both exam difficulty and how PSLE results are used in secondary school admissions, as part of a wider effort to curb what it calls an education ‘arms race’. What could these potential changes mean for students and families? Will they actually reduce stress, or will competition simply take a new form? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Jonathan Sim, Lecturer at the NUS Learning & Development Academy and Fellow at the NUS Teaching Academy, to find out more.