Breakfast with Ryan Huang, Emaad Akhtar and Audrey Siek

In today's Breakfast Brief, we discuss with Michael Dyer, Investment Director for Multi Asset Strategies at M&G Investments on how investors in Chinese markets are suffering a slump in confidence this week, a look ahead as investors watch out for US retail sales numbers and what to expect from the new FOMC minutes. 

To ensure that Lifebuoy can continue its purpose to help prevent illness, the brand has announced the creation of a Think Tank. The group of advisors will supercharge Lifebuoy Social mission and create a ‘Betterverse,’ a Metaverse for social betterment. Triveni Rajagopal, Personal Care Digital Transformation Lead, Unilever tell us more about what Lifebuoy's Think Tank is all about. 

From China’s reaction so far to US lawmakers' visit to Taiwan, details of the country’s new White Paper on Taiwan and China’s central bank unexpectedly cutting their key interest rates.  We analyse these headlines and more with Dr Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow, Singapore Institute of International Affairs. 

In today's Breakfast Brief, we discuss with Vasu Menon, Executive Director, Investment Strategy, OCBC Bank on the slew of data coming out from China, PBOC surprising markets with a rate cut and Chinese US-listed stocks under pressure once again. 

After riding a high of low interest rates and market liquidity for the past decade, startups now find themselves in a different environment where securing equity investment is likely to become more challenging. So how can venture debt aid startups with this issue? Paul Ong, Partner, InnoVen Capital SEA shares more on how venture debt works and its potential importance to the startup scene moving forward. 

Asia’s most advanced digital advertising network for kids, teens, and families, TotallyAwesome has recently announced the launch of TotallyPlay. The platform will be engaging brands to reach over 450 million under-18 gamers in APAC. Will Anstee, Chief Executive Officer, TotallyAwesome shares more on TotallyPlay and how it can help advertisers and marketers make the online realm a safe place for youths. 

From the US Congress passing a new Democratic Party’s climate and health care bill to Biden’s preparing to launch his re-election bid to the country’s reaction to author Salman Rushdie stabbing attack. We discuss with Steve Okun, Senior Advisor, Mclarty Associates on these headlines and more. 

In today's Breakfast Brief, we discuss with Vishnu Varathan, Head of Economics & Strategy, Asia, Mizuho Bank about signs of inflation easing up from last week’s data, what to expect from China's data dump that will include new home prices, retail sales and industrial production. 

Synopsis: This podcast series is based on selected chapters from a book detailing Singapore’s experience battling the Covid-19 pandemic. The book - written by journalists of The Straits Times and edited by ST’s executive editor Sumiko Tan - is titled In This Together: Singapore's Covid-19 Story and is available in major bookstores. Details online: https://www.stbooks.sg/ In this sixth and final instalment, ST's executive editor Sumiko Tan looks at how thousands of Singaporeans celebrated the country’s 57th birthday on Aug 9, 2022 at the Marina Bay floating platform. The day before, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had said in his National Day message that Singapore was in a much better place in its fight against the coronavirus. Highlights (click/tap above): (Headphones recommended) 1:43 Spectators at the parade say life has returned to normal, as they relish being among more than 25,000 attendees 2:45 PM Lee on why Singapore is in a "much better position". This follows a key turning point on April 26, 2022 5:15 Permanent secretary Pang Kin Keong, who heads the Homefront Crisis Executive Group, on how it had been more than two long years of high alert for public servants 6:46 Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on why Singapore will not declare a "Freedom Day" from Covid yet; Omicron subvariants fail to shake confidence 11:00 When will Covid-19 end? Mr Ong on booster shots becoming part of regular life and Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on "feeling the stones" as Singapore "crosses the river" 13:32 PM Lee on why unity as a nation is crucial to move beyond this "test of a generation" Produced by: Sumiko Tan (sumiko@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Hadyu Rahim Edited by: Hadyu Rahim Audio snippets: Courtesy of MCI SINGAPORE, PSD Singapore & GOVSG YouTube Closing music courtesy of NDPeeps' Spotify - Lo-fi cover of Home: https://str.sg/wRhu Follow Singapore's War On Covid podcast series here: Channel: https://str.sg/wuJa Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wu3n Spotify: https://str.sg/wuJy SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg  Read Sumiko Tan's stories: https://str.sg/Jbhe  --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #stcovidbook

In today's Breakfast Brief, we discuss the contraction in the US producer price index supporting the peaking-inflation narrative which is also reflected in the US weekly jobless claims with the softening of the labour market despite tight conditions.