Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Singapore shares fell today, tracking movements in Asian markets. The Straits Times Index was down 0.66% at 4,859.01 points at 2.20pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$986.49M seen in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have MoneyMax Financial, after the Catalist-listed pawnbroker on Friday attained in-principle approval from the Singapore Exchange for the transfer of its listing to the bourse’s mainboard.  Elsewhere, from how the Singapore dollar strengthened to its strongest level against the greenback since late 2014, to gold crossing the psychological US$5,000 mark, more local and economic headlines remain in focus.  Also on deck – what to watch this week, from big tech earnings to a Fed rate decision, as well as succession issues at luxury conglomerate LVMH. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with David Kuo, Co-founder, The Smart Investor.

It is back to the real estate sector today as we take you through the ins and outs of a real estate management services group that recently spun off its coliving arm on the Singapore Exchange.  You might have guessed it by now. Yes we are talking about the majority shareholder of coliving brand Coliwoo, or the SGX mainboard listed LHN Group. Established in 1991, LHN Group prides itself with the ability to generate value for space owners and users alike with its expertise in Space Optimisation.  The firm engages in four types of business operations, namely (1) space optimisation, where it redesigns unused, old and under-utilised spaces to maximise leasable area, (2) property development and investment where it engages in the acquisition, development and sale of properties, (3) facilities management including the provision of car park and energy management services, and finally (4) energy solutions, including the provision of charging stations for electric vehicles. LHN had in November posted a net profit of S$5.9 million for the half-year ended September 2025. The performance marks an 82.7 per cent decrease from levels seen in the previous year, on the back of fair value losses on its investment properties. Revenue for the same period, though fell by a more modest 8.4 per cent on the year to S$60.9 million. So how does the firm assess its latest performance and what will be the key drivers of growth going forward?  Meanwhile, the firm’s coliving subsidiary Coliwoo went public on the Singapore Exchange in November 2025. The move was said to help LHN better allocate resources within the remaining businesses within the group. So how far are we seeing that play out?  Speaking of resource allocation, LHN Group appears to be doubling down on its space optimisation business through its storage solutions subsidiary Work+Store. So how important will Work+Store be to the firm post-listing of Coliwoo? On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Kelvin Lim, Executive Chairman and Executive Director of LHN Group and Danny Wong, Chief Executive Officer of Work+Store. 

Singapore’s carbon tax has nearly doubled, jumping from $25 to $45 per tonne, and that change is starting to show up where it matters most: household utility bills. The average four-room HDB flat could soon pay more each month, even if falling energy prices are offering short-term relief. With rebates in place for now but bigger hikes ahead, what does this really mean for your wallet, and are Singaporeans ready for the long-term impact? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Dr Chua Yeow Hwee, Assistant Professor in Economics at the Nanyang Technological University, and Honorary Secretary of the Economics Society of Singapore, to find out more.

After a year marked by trade shocks, political uncertainty, and a sharp pause in dealmaking, private markets are entering 2026 with a very different tone. Confidence is rebuilding, activity is picking up, and capital is once again moving, but beneath the surface, investors are still asking some hard questions about liquidity, valuations, and what comes next. So how durable is this recovery? Where are the real opportunities, and what risks are still being underestimated? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Dominic Goh, Managing Director, HarbourVest Partners to find out more.

On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Alexandra Parada dive into how a college student went viral after emailing her professor for permission to use her iPad in class to join the BTS ticket queue, sparking a wider conversation about how far fans will go for concert tickets. That debate only intensified when fans were revealed to be flying to South Korea to use ultra-fast PC café internet to gain an edge in ticketing wars, despite the steep costs of flights, accommodation, and premium seats, raising the big question: just how much is one concert worth?

Singapore shares rose today, driven by banking heavyweights UOB and OCBC. The Straits Times Index was up 1.26% at 4,889.27 points at 2.34pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.17B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Suntec Real Estate Investment Trust, after the Reit recorded a distribution per unit (DPU) of S$0.0388 (3.88 Singapore cents) for the second half-year ended Dec 31, 2025.  Elsewhere, from how Singapore’s full-year core inflation for 2025 came in at 0.7 per cent, to how the Bank of Japan raised its growth estimate and maintained its hawkish inflation forecasts as it kept interest rates steady, more economic headlines remained in focus. Also on deck – more on Intel’s latest results as the chipmaker struggles to meet AI data centre demand. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Benjamin Goh, Head of Research and Investor Education, SIAS.

When change happens behind the scenes and silence follows online, speculation fills the void. So with Hougang United in flux, Sports Minutes sits down with Panarai “Otto” Pansiri and Walid Lounis to separate fact from fiction. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

US President Donald Trump is rolling out his latest global gambit: the “Board of Peace.” With an eye-popping $1 billion price tag for permanent seats and an invitation-only model, the initiative is already raising eyebrows. Is it a genuine attempt to stabilize conflict zones like Gaza, or a bold move to sideline the United Nations and reshape global governance? Who stands to gain, and who might be left out? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Amin Saikal, Adjunct Senior Fellow at S.Rajaratnam School of International Studies, NTU, to find out more. We explore what this $1B experiment could mean for diplomacy, global power, and the future of international institutions, and why countries like Singapore are reportedly still weighing whether to join.

One episode. Two very different takes on family. On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong is joined with Sports Minutes host Ziaul Raushan to dive into family drama and family goals. They discuss the recent Beckham family feud, from wedding snubs to social media blockings, before turning to a far more uplifting story: an 81-year-old grandmother who became a Minecraft streamer to support her grandson, and in the process captured hearts around the world.

All eyes are on Japan’s yen.  The currency has been sliding to levels we haven’t seen in almost two years, edging close to the 160 mark against the US dollar. That’s putting policymakers on alert, with warnings about sharp, one-way moves and what they could mean for the wider economy. So what’s behind this sustained weakness in the yen? And if the slide continues, how might it affect Japan, and ripple through global markets? To unpack this, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Peter Chia, Senior FX Strategist at UOB, on Wealth Tracker.