Let's Talk, Singapore

Nobody enjoys paying their taxes, but its a part and parcel of life. We might be used to more conventional forms of taxation in the modern era, but during historical times, some very strange ones were in place (albeit, for not very long). A tax on beards, and on windows, are just two of the more bizarre taxes that were implemented. Emaad and Ryan explore further. Presented by Emaad Akhtar & Ryan Huang Produced and edited by Emaad Akhtar Music credits: Pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

Thomas Taw, Head of APAC iShares Investment Strategy, BlackRock, discusses the market reaction to China's 5% GDP growth target; the potential trajectory of Japanese markets; whether the weakening yen will be a headwind for markets against the backdrop of potential BOJ tightening; and expectations for Fed Chair Jerome Powell's semiannual testimony. Presented by Ryan Huang Podcast edited by Emaad Akhtar (eakhtar@sph.com.sg)

Traditional laser printers emit around 22 kilograms of CO2 annually. This is comparable to driving a car for about 80km. The carbon footprint of conventional printers can be surprisingly high, considering everyday use in offices and homes. In this episode of sustainability focus on Mind Your Business, we look at a global leader in the printer space on their initiatives to redefine the eco-conscious tech landscape. Derek Tan, Head of Sales and Marketing, Epson Singapore sheds light on the company’s commitment to achieving carbon negativity by 2050.  Presented by Ryan Huang and Emaad Akhtar  This podcast is produced and edited by Anthea Ng (nganthea@sph.com.sg) She produces Mind Your Business, Biz-How-To and Breakfast Special segments on the Breakfast Show. Do contact her for topics: C-Suite, SME, Startups, Sustainability, Property, Intergenerational Family Business, Industry Outlook, Fintech and trending businesses in town. Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

59-year-old Singaporean businessman Philip Chan was recently being designated a "politically significant person" under Singapore's foreign interference law. But when do your activities with a foreign organisation cross the line?  On this episode of Morning Shot, Dylan Loh, Assistant Professor at the NTU School of Social Sciences weighs in. Presented by: Emaad Akhtar  Produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Graphics credits: Lianhe

James McCann, Deputy Chief Economist, abrdn shares his insights on impact the US Presidential Elections might have on markets in following months, the partial government shutdown deadline, stimulus down the road coming on the back of China's Two Sessions, as well as interest rate expectations. Presented by: Ryan Huang Producer: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)  Graphics credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

The easiest method us humans have of communicating with one another is through our names. At the most basic level, our identity is tied to the names that our parents have chosen for us at birth. But what is the origin of names? How were they derived during the early stages of human existence? Emaad and Ryan explore further. Presented by Emaad Akhtar & Ryan Huang Produced and edited by Emaad Akhtar Music credits: Pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

Vijay Natarajan, Analyst, RHB Singapore, discusses the current woes surrounding US REITs and how poorly they have performed vs others; outlook for the US office sector; and how investors should position themselves in the REITs space Presented by Ryan Huang Podcast edited by Emaad Akhtar (eakhtar@sph.com.sg)

Alongside countries such as Taiwan (0.87) and South Korea (0.72), the downward trajectory of Singapore’s falling birth rates is now at a critical level - hitting a record-low of 0.97.  This means that the average number of children each woman would have during her lifetime is less than what is needed to replace the dead and the dying. On this episode of Morning Shot, Dr Kalpana Vignehsa, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies’ Governance and Economy Department analyses what this all means for Singapore's already greying society. Presented by: Emaad Akhtar Produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Photo credits: ST

SMEs face various financial complexities and common challenges of mounting costs from engaging multiple service providers. From payroll and payments to corporate cards, each provider's fees add up, draining resources and time. Marcus Ting, Chief of Staff, Grain & Thomas Jeng, General Manager, Singapore, Aspire explore how businesses navigate these hurdles and discover the tech solutions reshaping financial landscapes.  Presented by Emaad Akhtar  This podcast is produced and edited by Anthea Ng (nganthea@sph.com.sg) She produces Mind Your Business, Biz-How-To and Breakfast Special segments on the Breakfast Show. Do contact her for topics: C-Suite, SME, Startups, Sustainability, Property, Intergenerational Family Business, Industry Outlook, Fintech and trending businesses in town.

Ryan Detrick, Chief Market Strategist at Carson Group shares his insights on the recent pullback from record highs, how much optimism investors should hold when it comes to gold and bitcoin, whether it's a good time to jump to technology stocks at the moment, and what we should be expecting on the Fed front in the coming weeks. Presented by: Ryan Huang Producer: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)  Graphics credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors