Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

US investors are heading back into Japan, but this isn’t just a simple “risk-on” rebound. After months of global uncertainty that pushed money out of equities, sentiment is shifting fast. As geopolitical fears ease, capital is quietly rotating back into Japanese stocks, a market many had underweighted just weeks ago. So what’s really behind this sudden comeback… and is Japan becoming one of the most attractive plays in global markets again? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Danish Lim, Senior Investment Analyst, Phillip Nova, to find out more.

Singapore shares slid today as markets in Asia traded in both positive and negative territories. The Straits Times Index was down 0.7% at 4,909.28 points at 11.44am Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$987.06M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Sheng Siong. The grocery store operator said in response to shareholder queries ahead of its AGM that it sees further room for margin improvement although the Iran conflict could exert “upward pressure on costs and prices”. Elsewhere, from a low down of the latest slew of S-Reit earnings, to how investors are reacting to news that Lebanon and Israel extended their ceasefire for three weeks, more corporate and international headlines remained in focus.  Also on deck, how Meta Platforms and Microsoft are planning cuts or announcing buyouts that could affect as many as 23,000 jobs, part of an effort to streamline operations and offset heavy spending on artificial intelligence. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Benjamin Goh, Head of Research and Investor Education, SIAS.

Singapore’s hawker centres have long been seen as the city’s great equalizer, where a $5 meal still delivers comfort and cultural identity in one of the world’s most expensive cities. But new data suggests that this everyday institution is under mounting pressure. A recent Blackbox Research SensingSG survey finds that 72% of Singaporeans believe hawker culture is now under threat. Meanwhile, 4 in 10 Singaporeans say they cannot maintain their current lifestyle without access to affordable hawker food. What happens when something universally valued becomes economically fragile? And if the iconic $5 meal is no longer sustainable, what replaces it and who gets left out? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Glenn Wray, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at Blackbox Research, to find out more.

Would you be okay with AI using your face to create content without you? A major Chinese streaming platform is facing backlash over its new AI actor initiative, raising big questions about consent, creativity, and the future of human performance. Plus, how far would you go to find out your favourite artist’s album release date? Drake has hidden his next drop inside a 200-ton block of ice and fans are literally trying to break it open. On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Alexandra Parada unpack AI actors and wild album marketing.

Private credit investing is entering a new phase as artificial intelligence reshapes industry dynamics and challenges traditional assumptions around risk and return. While equity investors focus on identifying AI-driven growth opportunities, credit investors must take a more defensive lens by prioritising cash-flow durability, resilience, and downside protection over upside potential. On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Michel Lowy, CEO and Global Portfolio Manager at SC Lowy, on how AI is reshaping credit risk, underwriting standards, and portfolio construction in private markets.

Singapore shares slid today, tracking movements seen in the region.  The Straits Times Index fell 1.08% to 4,948.92 points at 11.42am Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$965.25M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Keppel, after the company today reported slightly lower year-on-year net profit for the first quarter ended March, as lower real estate contributions offset higher earnings from its infrastructure and connectivity segments. Elsewhere, from how the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq closed at new record highs overnight, helped by a strong start to earnings season, to how Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that the electric vehicle maker plans to use Intel’s next-generation 14A manufacturing process to make chips at its Terafab project, more corporate headlines remained in focus. Also on deck, how Japan’s Nikkei share average crossed the 60,000 level for the first time today. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director, Azure Capital.

The United States has once again pressed pause on the conflict. Just as the ceasefire with Iran was approaching its expiry, US President Donald Trump moved to extend it indefinitely at the last minute. But with no confirmed agreement from Tehran and continued US military pressure, uncertainty remains over whether this signals a genuine shift toward de-escalation, or a temporary holding pattern in an ongoing confrontation. So is this extension a meaningful turning point in US-Iran relations? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Associate Professor Jessica Genauer, Academic Director of the Public Policy Institute at the University of New South Wales, to find out more.

Singapore’s private housing market is hitting new highs, but the buyers driving this surge might surprise you.  Demand remains resilient, fuelled in part by a growing group known as DINKs—dual-income couples with no kids—who have both the financial flexibility and appetite to upgrade. According to a recent survey by PropertyGuru, many of these higher-income households are planning to enter the market within the next 12 to 18 months. So what does this mean for the future of Singapore’s property market? Are DINKs becoming the new backbone of demand? And if so, how sustainable is this trend? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Nicholas Mak, Chief Research Officer, mogul.sg, to find out more.

What if you got paid to look for love… and paid to stay home when it rains? On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Nadiah Koh dive into Japan’s Kochi Prefecture, where local authorities are stepping in to tackle a shrinking population in an unexpected way by subsidizing dating apps.  Over in China, a snack company in Hunan province has gone viral for something just as unusual, 'rainy day leave'. Through a company lottery, employees won perks ranging from umbrellas and appliances to commuting subsidies… and even seven days of fully paid leave that can be used whenever it rains.   

Singapore shares dipped today as most Asian markets struggled for direction. The Straits Times Index fell 0.34% to 4,997.69 points at 2.57pm 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 DFI Retail Group. The group’s underlying profit from continuing operations, which excludes the impact of several divestments and closures, rose 49 per cent year on year in Q1 2026, supported by lower financing costs. Elsewhere, from how markets reacted to comments by US President Donald Trump that he would indefinitely extend the Iran ceasefire, to how SpaceX said that it has an agreement giving it the right to acquire artificial intelligence startup Cursor for US$60 billion later this year, more corporate and international headlines remained in focus.  Also on deck, what to know about US Fed chair nominee Kevin Warsh’s confirmation hearing. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Jeremy Tan, CEO, Tiger Fund Management.