Live Well with Michelle

AI demand is exploding - but are investors already pricing in too much too fast? Michelle Martin and Ryan Huang unpack Micron’s blockbuster earnings as AI-driven memory demand surges, even as its stock slips on heightened expectations. They explore whether the AI supply chain - from Nvidia-driven demand to chipmakers - is entering a new phase of volatility. Back home, a bullish broker call on Nam Cheong highlights how oil-linked plays are riding geopolitical tensions and offshore activity recovery. The Fed signals no rush to cut rates, sending markets lower - while Tencent, Disney, and Manulife US REIT reflect diverging global corporate momentum. Plus: Singapore’s STI reclaims 5,000 - hosted by Michelle Martin with Ryan Huang.

If you want to bank on the picks and shovels play behind the AI Capex spend, you need to understand growth drivers.  Investors have been piling into semiconductors but what if you wanted to look beyond NVIDIA? As computing demands grow, bottlenecks are springing up like traditional copper wiring slowing data transfers because of their heat constraints.  Enter photonics: a whole field devoted to controlling photons or light. We also ask What if the biggest AI winners aren’t the ones building it - but the ones powering it? Michelle Martin explores the $700 billion AI infrastructure surge reshaping markets, from hyperscaler spending by Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta and Oracle to the hidden bottlenecks in power and data centres. The conversation with Alvin Chow unpacks who really profits from this capex explosion. Michelle and Alvin also explore OpenClaw, the open source viral AI agent phenomenon in China; if OpenClaw boosts productivity, which companies are set to benefit really?

From drone swarms in Ukraine to robots servicing warships, investors are chasing the next battlefield of AI. Michelle Martin and Ryan Huang unpack how little-known players like Swarmer and Gecko Robotics are capturing market imagination despite thin revenues, signalling a shift where real-world deployment matters more than profits. Hosted by Michelle Martin with Ryan Huang, the conversation explores how rising oil prices are rippling across industries - from airlines raising guidance to ComfortDelGro passing on fuel costs to commuters. We examine why US markets are rebounding even as geopolitical tensions simmer, and what easing oil prices could mean for risk sentiment. In corporate news, Meta pulls back on its metaverse ambitions, Nvidia restarts China-linked production, and Singtel faces fresh scrutiny after service disruptions. On the local front, the STI surges with Singtel leading gains, highlighting resilience in Singapore equities.

The era of “set it and forget it” ETF investing is being challenged - are passive ETFs no longer enough? Michelle Martin dives into the shifting ETF landscape with Aman Pujara, Director of Quantitative Research and Portfolio Construction at Syfe, as investors rethink the classic “VOO and chill” strategy. Hosted by Michelle Martin, this episode explores why active ETFs are rapidly gaining ground, now accounting for over 80% of new launches in 2026. We examine how  market volatility has exposed the limitations of passive index tracking. Aman explains why active strategies are attracting a growing share of inflows and offering investors more flexibility. The conversation also tackles the hidden opportunity costs of staying fully passive during turbulent markets and the fees involved in active ETF investing. How investors can distinguish true active skill from trend-following products?

AI demand is exploding - but can Nvidia really deliver a trillion-dollar future? Michelle Martin and Ryan Huang unpack Nvidia’s bold $1 trillion AI forecast driven by Blackwell chips, Vera Rubin systems and the rise of agentic AI that can act, not just respond. Hosted by Michelle Martin with Ryan Huang, the conversation explores whether Nvidia can maintain dominance as rivals circle and energy constraints loom. We also revisit Berkshire Hathaway’s $2 billion Iran oil windfall - a reminder of Buffett’s enduring edge in geopolitics and commodities. In corporate news, Dollar Tree surprises on pricing power while Peloton pivots to gyms, Sert expands logistics assets in Europe, and SATS rides cargo growth optimism. Back home, the STI climbs with Singapore Exchange, Singtel and Wilmar leading gains even as UOL lags. And in today’s Last Word, Pop Mart faces life after Labubu mania - can it reinvent its toy empire?

Cheap mortgages, a flood of resale flats, and a widening condo price gap - is 2026 the year to buy, sell, or refinance your property? Michelle Martin explores Singapore’s unusual property moment and what it might mean for you. Daniel Sim, Founder, Golden Goose Properties and Michelle unpack whether owners should sell ahead of rising competition, refinance their loans while rates are low, or upgrade to private property. Could ripple effects could extend into executive condominiums and resale condos as more homeowners consider upgrading? With new launch prices climbing and the gap with resale condos approaching 50%, buyers and sellers face a complex set of decisions. We also explore what Singaporeans who bought overseas property should do if those investments are underperforming in today's market.

Oil above $100, war in the Middle East, and AI spending from Big Tech are colliding to reshape the global market outlook. On this episode of Market View, hosted by Michelle Martin with Ryan Huang, we unpack how the Iran conflict and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz are pushing oil prices sharply higher and unsettling investors worldwide. Brent crude’s surge toward US$103 is raising fresh inflation fears just as the U.S. Federal Reserve prepares for a key rate decision. Closer to home, the ripple effects could hit Singapore’s REIT sector, which faces pressure from rising financing costs and property valuation risks. Meanwhile, corporate headlines span Meta’s AI-driven layoffs, Berkshire Hathaway’s buyback signals, and Singtel’s ambitious US$250 million AI investment fund. We also check in on the STI movers, with Wilmar International surging while ST Engineering and Yangzijiang Shipbuilding face selling pressure.

Are investors focusing too much on headline DPU when evaluating Singapore REITs? Michelle Martin examines why the familiar distribution-per-unit number may not tell the full story. In this episode of Money and Me, we explore whether investors should shift their focus from the quantity of distributions to the quality and sustainability behind them. REIT specialist and Wealth Advisory Director Kenny Loh introduces a new framework - the Management Efficiency Index (MEI) - meant to help investors evaluate how effectively REIT managers generate and protect long-term income. The conversation also unpacks the risks behind 100% payout strategies, accounting optic moves, and the impact of management fees paid in units. With AGM season approaching, Kenny shares the key questions retail investors should ask management teams to better understand the resilience of distributions. Any investor heading to a REIT AGM would benefit from knowing the right questions to ask to dive beyond the numbers to get at management "sweat equity".

Are you “raising a lobster”? A new open-source AI agent called OpenClaw - created by an Austrian developer - is sparking a frenzied wave of experimentation across China. The AI agent can draft reports, organise your inbox and even book you a flight. Its rapid adoption has spawned a cottage industry of small businesses helping Chinese households set up the software (you need a cloud server to run OpenClaw). Michelle Martin steers the show with markets on edge as oil surges past US$100, with tensions around the Strait of Hormuz threatening global supply and rattling investors. Meanwhile in the US, Adobe faces a leadership transition as markets question whether generative AI could disrupt its long-dominant creative software business. In our UP or DOWN segment, we take a closer look at CrowdStrike and PayPay. And in today’s Last Word, Michelle spotlight's the global rise of K-pop storytelling.

There will soon be a new way to grow your CPF savings, what do you need to know? In this episode of Ask CPF! Michelle Martin puts your questions to Wu Meei, Director of Investment Schemes at CPF Board. Will you still have access to CPFIS? What sort of products might you be able to invest in? How does portfolio rebalancing happen? Has this scheme been successful elsewhere? What sort of returns are possible? We also explore how the “glide-path” strategy works to grow your wealth, the fees and the key risks involved with using the scheme.