Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Bond markets are shifting fast. From U.S. rate cut expectations to surging corporate and emerging market issuance, investors are chasing yield like never before. In Asia, credit markets show resilience, while Gulf issuers are drawing global attention. What does this mean for risk, opportunity, and where investors should be putting their money? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Kheng Siang Ng, Asia Pacific Head of Fixed Income, State Street Investment Management, to find out more.

Inductiv is a Singapore-headquartered startup rethinking how AI can be trusted to work in the real world. Unlike the trend of simply layering large language models onto interfaces, Inductiv builds AI that is deterministic, dependable, and explainable, with guardrails that meet the stringent demands of regulated industries. Its approach is anchored in a Trust Triad of privacy-first data handling, reliability in mission-critical environments, and explainability for auditability and accountability. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Saurav Dhungana, Founder of Inductiv, to find out more. 

Singapore shares nudged higher today as Asian markets traded mixed. The Straits Times Index was up 0.1% at 4,416.27 points at 12.57pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$536.62M seen in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have AEM after US semiconductor test equipment supplier Advantest Test Solutions made allegations of patent infringement against AEM and its subsidiaries.  Elsewhere, from how Tokyo’s Nikkei surged over four per cent to a record high early on after fiscal dove Sanae Takaichi was elected to lead Japan’s ruling party, to how Stellantis is reportedly planning to invest about US$10 billion in the US – more international and corporate headlines remain in focus.   On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Chin Hui Leong, Co-founder, The Smart Investor.

It’s all about ice-cream and fast food today as we turn the spotlight on one of America’s most beloved brands. This brand is also well-loved by billionaires, more notably value investor Warren Buffett and Shark Tank’s Mark Cuban.  You might have by now guessed that I am talking about International Dairy Queen, a company known globally for its soft-serve treats like the Blizzard and the Dilly Bar.  Founded in 1940, International Dairy Queen or the parent company of American Dairy Queen Corporation and Dairy Queen Canada has grown to a global quick service restaurant player.  The firm is also famously known as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, having been acquired in 1998.  Currently, the firm develops, licenses and services a system of over 7,700 Dairy Queen restaurants over 20 countries. But the firm doesn’t seem to stop there and appears to be on a charm offensive to expand internationally.  For one thing, the firm had in 2022, through American Dairy Queen Corporation and private equity firm FountainVest Partners, unveiled plans to open up 600 Dairy Queen restaurants in China by the end of the decade.  Then came July 2024, when International Dairy Queen teamed up with FountainVest Partner’s franchise ownership company CFB Group to open what’s said then to be the first DQ Blizzard & Burgers restaurant in Shanghai in Asia. So what was the rationale behind the firm’s aggressive expansion moves? And how far will the company’s international business bolster sales as global trade tensions and tariffs weigh on consumption in the US? Beyond international expansion, International Dairy Queen is also said to be placing a stronger emphasis on hot food, versus the dessert treats it was once famous for. But why is this the case? On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Dr. Brandon Guthrie, Director of International Development, Dairy Queen.

A defining weekend for motorsport and football alike. Sports Minutes dissects George Russell’s flawless drive, Verstappen’s fiery resurgence, and Singapore’s ever-growing pull on the F1 map - before turning our lens to the Lions’ historic qualifier against India. All in the company of Deepanraj Ganesan, sports reporter with The Straits Times. READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/mercedes-george-russell-wins-f1-singapore-grand-prix-mclaren-retain-constructors-title Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

Could Sami Hyypia be interested in the vacant Singapore men's national team job? And what does the former Liverpool captain make of the Red's current wobble? Those were some of the questions Sports Minutes posed to the 51-year old, on the sidelines of the Singapore Grand Prix. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

Weddingserv is Singapore’s first true all-in-one digital wedding mall, designed to take the stress out of planning and bring the joy back into the journey from “yes” to “I do.” The platform simplifies every step with vetted vendors, transparent pricing and policies, and built-in tools for RSVPs, seating plans, e-invites, and day-of logistics that sync seamlessly across providers. Unlike traditional directories or piecemeal apps, Weddingserv rethinks the entire process - cutting out endless back-and-forth, hidden costs, and last-minute chaos. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Grace Lim, Director, Weddingserv, to discover how she’s tackling the chaos of wedding planning with Singapore’s first all-in-one digital wedding mall.

Engines roar, lights dazzle, and Singapore is cranking up the heat, literally. For the first time ever, the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix has been declared a “heat hazard,” paving the way for cooling vests in the cockpit. But if you think the sweltering temperatures will dampen the mood, think again. Since 2008, the night race has been more than just high-speed action, it’s a three-day festival of racing thrills, big-name concerts and island-wide buzz. The question is: what keeps F1 Singapore blazing as the city’s hottest ticket in town? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Deepanraj Ganesan, Sports Reporter with The Straits Times, to find out more. 

High-net-worth families are rethinking their portfolios in 2025. After leaning on private credit for years, many are now turning to physical commodities and tangible assets to hedge against inflation and market swings. Why the shift? What makes real-world assets so appealing? And how are investors navigating today’s tricky mix of inflation, interest rate divergence, and global uncertainty? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Johan Boos, Senior Wealth Manager & Strategic Partnership Manager, Balfour Capital Group, to find out more.

Singapore shares inched higher today as investors continue to mull the global interest rate outlook. The Straits Times Index was up 0.28% at 4,407.67 points at 2.15pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$959.59M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have for you UOL and Singapore Land Group. That’s after the companies announced yesterday the completion of the S$810 million en bloc deal for Thomson View condominium. Elsewhere, from the companies to monitor as the Singapore Grand Prix roars into town, to investors’ pushback on Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s US$1 trillion pay plan – more corporate headlines remained in focus. Also on deck, how DBS Group Holdings’ blistering share rally this year has widened its market value lead over its peer OCBC to a level never seen before. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Benjamin Goh, Head of Research and Investor Education, SIAS.