Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Popular Chinese hotpot chain Haidilao is closing its flagship Singapore outlet in Clarke Quay on Aug 31 as its lease expires. The impending closure of the Clarke Quay outlet follows Haidilao’s recent shuttering of three suburban restaurants – in Bedok, Pasir Ris and Punggol – after a period of rapid expansion. Is Haidilao losing its dominance here? What does this mean for other F&B giants in Singapore? Are we just seeing a reshuffle or is the dining landscape in for a bigger shake-up? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Debbie Yong, Founder and Brand Strategist at Atypical Media and Podcast Host and Producer of Turn The Tables, to find out more.

The US dollar has staged a comeback, strengthening notably against the Singapore dollar and reversing a months-long trend of broad weakness. This renewed dollar strength, driven by resilient US economic data and sticky inflation, is prompting fresh questions about global capital flows, MAS policy direction, and portfolio strategy in Asia. Analysts now warn that the greenback's climb could ripple through everything from import costs to equity valuations with major implications for investors and markets alike. On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Sim Moh Siong, Currency Strategist, Bank of Singapore, to find out more.

When Joyce Chung her husband moved to Singapore, he made a passing comment that he couldn’t find a good cinnamon roll here. So, one recipe led to another, and before long, what began in Joyce's home kitchen became Guilt Free Food, a bakery known for its health-conscious treats that do not compromise on flavour. From gluten free mochi muffins to keto-friendly buns, she has carved out a niche in Singapore’s food scene for people who want to indulge mindfully. Now, six years on, she’s taken the leap to open her first physical takeaway bakery in the East Coast. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Joyce Chung, Founder of Guilt Free Food, to find out more.

Singapore shares fell today as investors digest a flurry of earnings out of the country in recent days. The Straits Times Index was down 0.40% at 4,255.79 points at 11.59am Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$900.51M seen in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have CapitaLand Investment, after the group today posted net profit of S$287 million for H1 ended June 2025, 13 per cent down from S$331 million in the year-ago period. Elsewhere, from how shares of ST Engineering tumbled 6.4 per cent early on, despite announcing better first-half results, to how Lenovo’s profit beats estimates as firms ramped up on purchases of personal computers ahead of potential new US tariffs, more corporate and international headlines remain in focus.  Also on deck – a quick look at Foxconn’s latest results as well as how Bitcoin hit a record high on the back of financial reforms and rate cut bets. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director, Azure Capital. 

The Singapore Exchange just logged its busiest month in three months, trading liquidity up 44%, small- and mid-cap stocks on fire, and gains across derivatives, ETFs, and commodities. With the Straits Times Index hitting fresh highs, the big question now is: what’s fuelling this surge, and will the momentum carry on? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Alvin Chow, investment advisor at iFAST Global Markets and, Co-founder of Dr Wealth, to find out more.

A total of 466 luxury items and 58 pieces of gold bars from the $3 billion money laundering case have been handed over by police to professional services firm Deloitte to manage and liquidate. But when such luxury watches, designer handbags, and gold are seized in multi-million-dollar money laundering cases, what actually happens to them?  Who gets to buy these prized assets, and how does the government ensure the process is fair and transparent? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Alexander Woon, Counsel, RHTLaw Asia LLP and Provost's Chair and Lecturer, Law Programmes, Singapore University of Social Sciences, to find out more.  

Lita Global is a fast-rising force in gaming technology, redefining how players connect, compete, and earn through its innovative Teammate-On-Demand platform. By using skill-based matchmaking and dynamic in-app social features, Lita enables gamers to build meaningful connections and unlock new monetisation opportunities both casually and competitively. And with over 30 million registered users and 1.5 million monthly active users across Southeast Asia, Lita is at the forefront of the region’s rapidly growing gaming economy. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong spoke to Jolline Lim, Regional Head of Projects of Singapore & the Philippines, Lita Global, to find out more.

Singapore shares rose today amid a positive day in Asia. The Straits Times Index was up 0.94% at 4,260.31 points at 3.08pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.29B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch for today, we have Singtel, after the telco giant said in its business update today that its Q1 net profit soared 317.4 per cent to S$2.9 billion from S$690 million in the year-ago period.  Elsewhere, from how investors are reacting to an in-line US inflation reading to how Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to meet US President Donald Trump during a visit to the US next month – more international headlines remained in focus. Also on deck, earnings out of City Developments Limited and Yangzijiang Financial. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Kenneth Goh, Director, Private Wealth Management, UOB Kay Hian.

The brand new domestic football season is almost upon us - with the Community Shield kicking off on August 16th. And with a brand new season comes brand new signings, brand new kits and brand new motivation. But what would brand new heights look like for a team like the Lion City Sailors, who achieved so much last campaign? Hami Syahin sits down with Sports Minutes to tell us more. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

In this “On the Go” Specials of “Under the Radar”, Money Matter’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian checks in with the OpenAI team to follow up on their new GPT-5 model.  The model promises state-of-the-art performance across coding, math, writing assistance, health advice, visual perception and more.  Touted as a unified system that knows how to respond quickly and when to think longer to provide expert-level responses, GPT-5 is also said to be more natural and thoughtful, with fewer hallucinations.  In all, OpenAI’s Co-founder and CEO Sam Altman described the latest version “clearly a model that is generally intelligent”.  Users though, had their doubts. Some in an article by Mint said answers by the new model are shorter, while others claimed the new model had less of a personality.    Altman and his GPT-5 team addressed some of the criticisms surrounding the model in a Reddit “Ask me Anything” session, including a notorious “chart crime”. To this end, Altman said a router function in GPT-5 was not working as it should, and that the model will appear smarter soon.  Still, the company remained bullish on the business. Speaking to CNBC on Friday, Altman emphasised that OpenAI should prioritise growth and investments, even if that meant a longer timeline towards the breakeven point.  But how far will GPT-5 reshape the firm’s growth trajectory? And how does the firm intend to navigate challenges regarding performance and pricing? Meanwhile, the release of GPT-5 comes at a crucial time for the industry, where Magnificent Seven tech firms ranging from Alphabet to Meta, Amazon and Microsoft ramp up capital expenditures on AI data centres dramatically.  Per a Reuters report, the four players are expected to spend a total of close to US$400 billion this fiscal year. But where does OpenAI see its place in a market that is heating up, and how far will Asia be the next battleground for AI innovation and adoption? Tian Tian posed these questions to Oliver Jay, Managing Director, International, OpenAI.