Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Singapore shares nudged higher today to track broader gains in Asia. The Straits Times Index was up a marginal 0.03% at 3,895.48 points at 2.11pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$470.02M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch today, we have Singapore Post. The national postal service provider has placed 10 Housing & Development Board shophouses for sale and leaseback.  Elsewhere, from DBS estimating that its economic value from the use of AI could surpass S$1 billion this year, to India’s aviation regulator warning Air India for breaching safety rules – more international and corporate headlines remain in focus.  Also on deck – all about blind boxes and toys.    On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Benjamin Goh, Head of Research and Investor Education, SIAS.

Mike Phelan knows what greatness looks like - having worked alongside Sir Alex Ferguson, first as a player then part of his coaching team. As Fergie’s trusted right-hand man, he helped shape one of football’s most dominant dynasties. From the hairdryers to the heartbreaks, Mike Phelan sits down with Sports Minutes to take us inside life alongside Sir Alex, the Ole comeback, and the club’s modern-day identity crisis. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

On this month’s The Peak special on The Right Business, we spotlight a story rooted in paper, thread, and purpose. Yang Shihui, founder of Based Book Arts, is one of the last practicing bookbinders in Singapore, and she’s quietly building a business around a dying craft. From running intimate bookmaking workshops to taking on bespoke commissions, Yang’s work is a form of quiet resistance against digital fatigue and mass production. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Zat, Editor-in-Chief, The Peak Singapore, on why Based Book Arts is a compelling example of how tradition and entrepreneurship can meaningfully coexist.

In the wake of the Federal Reserve’s latest policy decision, we'll take a deep dive into the shifting landscape of US economic exceptionalism.  Especially in terms of the  mounting pressures challenging the dollar’s dominance on the global stage, including accelerating trends of de-dollarisation by key international players.  We’ll also unpack the emerging decoupling between the US dollar and US Treasury bonds—a development that could disrupt traditional safe-haven dynamics and alter global capital flows.  On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Gautam Chadda, Head of Strategic Advisory (Asia) at RBC Wealth Management, to find out more.

Singapore shares dipped today as investors continue to mull the US Federal Reserve’s latest move to hold interest rates at prevailing levels. The Straits Times Index was down 0.31% at 3,908.55 points at 11.50am Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$350.49M seen in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have DBS, after the lender inked a memorandum of understanding with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission today to deepen investment links between Australia and South-east Asia.  Elsewhere, from the Fed’s dot plot of future rates and central bank chief Jerome Powell’s comments on US tariffs, to Shell CEO Wael Sawan’s take on the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran – more international and corporate headlines remain in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director, Azure Capital. 

A man in Singapore made headlines after being shot in the lower back while cycling with friends on June 15 in a restricted area between Upper Seletar and Upper Peirce reservoirs. The incident took place roughly 2.3km from the Nee Soon military training area, where a live-firing exercise was being conducted at the time. In a statement issued on June 16, MINDEF reminded the public that the Military Manoeuvres Act prohibits unauthorized access to gazetted SAF live-firing zones, citing safety concerns. This raises several important questions: What exactly are gazetted areas in Singapore? What happens if you accidentally trespass into one? And what legal consequences could you face? On The Big Story, Honbin Jeong speaks with Ng Kai Ling, Associate Director at LIMN Law Corporation to find out more.

SimplyGood is a Singapore-based clean technology start-up on a mission to make sustainable living easy, starting right at home. Founded by Jeremy Lee in 2021, the company aims to eliminate the need for single-use plastic bottles in everyday household cleaning by offering concentrated, dissolvable cleaning tablets and sheets. Designed with both the planet and people in mind, SimplyGood’s products are 300 times lighter and 200 times smaller than traditional liquid cleaners, dramatically reducing carbon emissions from shipping and packaging. Their products are also made from 100% natural, plant-based ingredients, they’re safe for families, pets, and the environment. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Jeremy Lee, Founder, SimplyGood, to find out more.

Singapore shares were lower today as all eyes remained on the escalating conflict in the Middle East. The Straits Times Index was down 0.42% at 3,914.06 points at 2.27pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$508.89M seen in the broader market.  In terms of counters to watch for today, we have Thakral Corp. The mainboard-listed company yesterday announced the launch of an initial public offering (IPO) of GemLife Communities, an Australian over-50s lifestyle resort operator, to raise up to A$750 million (S$628.2 million). Thakral holds a 31.7 per cent effective interest in GemLife.  Elsewhere, from economists slashing Singapore’s growth forecast to 1.7% for the full year of 2025, to JD.com’s founder unveiling a turnaround plan for the company after a five year slump – more economic and corporate headlines remain in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Kenneth Goh, Director, Private Wealth Management, UOB Kay Hian.

Trump has called for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” as the Israel-Iran conflict escalates into its sixth day. At the same time, he hinted on the possibility of sending diplomatic envoys, including Vice President J.D. Vance, to speak with Iranian officials, raising questions about US role in this conflict and what it aims to achieve. Meanwhile, Iran is facing its most serious internal security breach since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, losing key military figures, fending off cyberattacks, and watching its regional influence unravel as allies weaken across the region. On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Dr Leon Goldsmith, Senior Lecturer in Middle East Politics, University of Otago, to unpack the latest updates on the Israel-Iran conflict.

A club in transition. A chairman steps aside. And now, a head coach departs. After 8 years at the helm, Desmond Ong bid farewell as Chairman of BG Tampines Rovers on 1st June - and soon after, it’s been confirmed that head coach Gavin Lee will also be departing the club. What triggered this sweeping reset? Is this the end of an era, or the beginning of something new? Sports Minutes sits down with Desmond to talk legacy, leadership and succession. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg