Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Singapore shares dipped today even as most Asian markets traded in the green. The Straits Times Index was down 0.34% at 4,435.25 points at 12.10pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$521.12M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Keppel REIT, after the manager of the Reit posted a 0.6 per cent lower distributable income of S$159.6 million for the first nine months of its financial year. Elsewhere, from Toyota Motor’s comments that it did not explicitly promise a new US$10 billion investment in the United States, to one last look at the expectations ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s next monetary policy move, more corporate and international headlines remained in focus.  Plus – how Amazon is setting aside another US$5 billion for investment in South Korean data centres. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Thilan Wickramasinghe, Head of Equity Research, Maybank Securities.

Singapore’s goalkeeper crisis takes centre stage - with Zharfan struggling, Syazwan slipping, and Izwan sidelined, who can Gavin Lee trust between the sticks? Sports Minutes breaks down the Lions’ last line of defence, the Spence-to-Singapore rumours and all the key takeaways from Matchweek 5 of the SPL and the Singapore Cup format that has caused much furore. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

Tokenisation – or the process of turning real-world assets into digital tokens – has moved from concept to reality in recent years.  According to DBS Research, the tokenisation of real-world assets is at an inflection point towards exponential growth, with the market capitalisation of real-world asset tokens growing from virtually nothing five years ago to over US$25 billion as of August 2025.  That figure is expected to rise further, with McKinsey estimating that the total tokenised market capitalisation could hit about US$2 trillion by the end of the decade.  Trends driving the numbers include growing institutional adoption of digital assets, as well as increased regulatory clarity globally.  Back home, the first Singapore dollar-backed stablecoin was also launched in September 2025, with reserves held with DBS Bank and Standard Chartered Bank.  But what are the growth opportunities for the tokenisation of real-world assets and what does it mean for financial institutions like DBS? In this “On the Go” Special episode of “Under the Radar”, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian headed down to DBS’ Headquarters at Marina Bay Financial Centre to find out what’s next for the industry and how the bank is capitalising on the trend from David Hui, Chief Commercial Officer, DBS Digital Exchange.

China and ASEAN have just taken their trade partnership to the next level with the ASEAN–China Free Trade Area 3.0.  Two decades in the making, this upgraded pact now reaches into digital trade, green energy, and supply chain connectivity. Is it a bold step toward regional resilience and openness, or a deepening reliance on China amid rising global tensions? The big questions: Who really benefits, and how will this shape ASEAN’s role on the global stage? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Dr. Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow, Singapore Institute of International Affairs, to find out more.

Digital currencies are moving beyond the fringes and into the heart of financial markets. Banks and asset managers are starting to explore their potential, yet adoption comes with questions around regulation, infrastructure, and risk. How ready are institutions to embrace this new landscape? What hurdles lie ahead? And what could the mainstreaming of stablecoins mean for the future of finance in Asia? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to William Lau, Head of Markets and Account Management, APAC, FIS, to find out more.

StaffAny is a workforce management platform purpose-built for businesses that rely on hourly and shift-based teams. Designed to bridge the gap between operations and HR, StaffAny helps companies streamline scheduling, time tracking, attendance, and payroll processes, all in one integrated solution. By combining real-time data, smart automation, and a mobile-first experience, StaffAny empowers teams across industries like F&B, retail, and logistics to reduce admin work, lower labor costs, and focus on what truly matters. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Eugene Ng, Co-Founder & CRO, StaffAny, to find out more.

Singapore shares moved higher today even as most Asian markets traded lower. The Straits Times Index was up 0.4% at 4,458.06 points at 2.35pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.03B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Keppel Pacific Oak US Reit, after the US office-focused Reit posted distributable income of US$30.4 million for the third quarter ended Sep 30, down 14.8 per cent from US$35.7 million in the previous corresponding period.  Elsewhere, from how Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and US President Donald Trump today signed a framework agreement for securing the supply of rare earths and what this means for US-China trade ahead of Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, to how Amazon is reportedly planning to cut as many as 30,000 corporate jobs beginning today, more international and corporate headlines remained in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Too Jun Cheong, Dealing Manager from Moomoo Singapore.

The United Nations climate summit, COP30, will take place in Brazil this November amid growing concern that many countries have yet to submit their 2035 emissions reduction targets under the Paris Agreement. Fewer than a third of the nearly 200 parties have met the deadline, raising questions about global ambition and political will to tackle the climate crisis. Singapore, however, was among the first to submit its target, pledging to cut emissions to between 45 and 50 million tonnes by 2035, showing a steady path toward net zero by 2050. On The Big Story, Nadiah Koh speaks to Melissa Low, Research Fellow, Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore and Head, NUS Sustainability Academy, to explore why some countries have yet to submit their 2035 climate targets ahead of COP30 and what Singapore’s early submission signals about its climate ambitions.

Singaporeans are rethinking what it means to retire. As more choose to design their own timelines, embracing ideas like micro-retirement and unretirement, a new kind of retirement flexibility is taking shape. But with only a third feeling financially ready, the question is whether their investment plans are evolving as fast as their ambitions. On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Nick Tong, Head of Southeast Asia Intermediary Distribution at T. Rowe Price, to find out more.

Right Media is an AI-driven company founded by real estate veteran Rick Long, designed to reimagine how the property journey feels, not just how it performs. After 15 years in the industry, Rick saw that clients rarely struggle with a lack of information - they struggle with how fragmented and confusing the process feels. Right Media was born from that insight: to create clarity, calm, and confidence through design and intelligent technology. At its core, Right Media builds AI-powered interfaces that guide clients and agents through every stage of a property transaction from motivations to pricing strategy, from timelines to long-term goals, all within one shared, intuitive space. On The Right Business, Nadiah Koh speaks to Rick Long, Associate Senior Division Director, Huttons Asia, to find out more.