Your Money with Michelle Martin

China’s investment narrative is shifting from old economy giants to new-generation growth engines. Michelle Martin speaks with Dr Wealth cofounder Alvin Chow, to explore whether the new CSI A500 index could replace the CSI 300 as investors’ core China exposure. We unpack why CSOP’s new SGX-listed ETF makes it easier for Singaporeans to “buy China” in one trade. Then, attention turns to China’s Six AI Tigers - startups positioning themselves as local rivals to OpenAI and Nvidia. With MiniMax and Zhipu AI surging after their Hong Kong debuts, are investors spotting the next tech champions or chasing hype?

Big Pharma’s report cards just rewrote the market mood. Market View dives into why Pfizer slipped into a quarterly loss, why Novo Nordisk plunged double digits, and how Merck managed to buck the trend. We also unpack Singtel’s rally on acquisition chatter and what it signals for Singapore’s telco strategy. Across the Pacific, tech stocks drag Wall Street lower as Nvidia and Microsoft weigh on the NASDAQ. Plus, our UP or DOWN game covers PayPal, PepsiCo, Walmart and Intel’s GPU ambitions. All this and more, hosted by Michelle Martin with Ryan Huang.

Danielle Lim, author of The Sound of S-C-H, joins READ with Michelle Martin to discuss the newly reissued edition of her Singapore literature prize-winning book that chronicled her uncle’s life with schizophrenia and her mother’s years of caregiving. She reflects on who Uncle Seng was beyond his illness, the memories that stayed with her across decades, and how stigma in 1960s and 70s Singapore shaped her family’s silence and survival. Danielle also explains how conversations around mental illness have evolved since the book’s first release. At its heart, this is a story about dignity, endurance, and what families carry when illness becomes part of everyday life.

Money and Me unpacks why global investors may be hedging U.S. exposure rather than fleeing it outright, even as the dollar weakens and trade tensions simmer. Our guest, John Sidawi, Senior Portfolio Manager for Global Fixed Income at Federated Hermes explains how currency hedging has become a core strategy after years of unhedged U.S. outperformance. We explore what a softer dollar could mean for the greenback’s long-term dominance. Gold’s surge toward record highs - and its sudden drop - raises questions about whether this is a buying opportunity or a warning sign. Attention also turns to President Trump’s pick for Fed Chair and what that could mean for rates and markets. This episode connects geopolitics, currencies and commodities - hosted by Michelle Martin.

Disney beats earnings but warns of falling tourist demand, sending its shares sharply lower. Costs are eating into some of the Disney magic. Meanwhile, Elon Musk is building a super stock story. Elon Musk has stunned investors by merging his AI and space ventures ahead of a blockbuster IPO. Wall Street swings higher as gold and silver slump after their recent wild ride. We look closely at trade deals heats up with new US-India and EU-India deals reshaping global flows. Market View unpacks earnings, geopolitics and volatility - hosted by Michelle Martin with Ryan Huang.

Markets are flashing warning lights - and investors are wondering if the rules have changed. Gold and silver tumble after a near-vertical rally as politics collides with monetary policy. We unpack why Microsoft fell despite beating earnings and whether its OpenAI bet is turning from moat into risk. Japan’s bond yields surge to multi-decade highs, reviving fears of a yen carry trade unwind. Simon Ree, Founder of Tao of Trading, explains what traders are watching across metals, tech, and currencies. All this and more, hosted by Michelle Martin.

Big Pharma goes global, precious metals go vertical - then crash, and Wall Street braces for a new Fed era. Market View tracks AstraZeneca’s New York debut and what it signals about the race between the US and China for drug innovation. Gold and silver suffer their worst rout in decades after news of Kevin Warsh as Donald Trump’s pick for Fed chair. US stocks wobble as investors reassess rate-cut risks and a packed earnings week led by Disney, Amazon and Alphabet. Back home, Singapore’s STI holds the 4,900 line with United Overseas Land, ST Engineering and Wilmar in focus. All that and more, hosted by Michelle Martin with Ryan Huang. Hear about : AstraZeneca, Nio, Sony, UOB, Amgen, Merck, Pfizer, Palantir, Disney, Alphabet, Uber, Amazon, ST Engineering, Wilmar International

It used to be the good old reliable way to grow wealth, but is it time to look away from this old favourite?  As concentration risk hits record highs, one dividend investor says the S&P 500 is no longer the “safe default.” Willie Keng of Dividend Titan explains why valuations look disconnected from reality - and what he uses instead to judge fair value. We explore three unexpected alternatives: Hershey in the US, Lendlease REIT in Singapore, and Indonesian brewer Multi Bintang. From cocoa prices to commercial property and emerging market dividends, this episode challenges passive investing assumptions. All this and more, hosted by Michelle Martin.

Apple and Marina Bay Sands just delivered blowout results - but not all markets are celebrating. Apple posts its best iPhone quarter in years as China demand rebounds and services face pressure. Marina Bay Sands clocks the strongest quarter in casino history, even as its parent struggles with Macau exposure. Copper surges to record highs and oil jumps above US$70 as geopolitics and China optimism drive commodities. Microsoft sinks on AI spending fears while Meta jumps on strong earnings and cost discipline. All this and more, hosted by Michelle Martin with Ryan Huang.

Big Tech earnings are splitting the market right down the middle - Meta soars, Microsoft stumbles, and investors are asking whether AI spending is starting to bite. Big Tech earnings dominate today’s Market View as Meta and Microsoft head in sharply different directions. Meta delivers blockbuster results, with fourth-quarter revenue jumping 24% and investors cheering its confidence to ramp up AI investment - even with spending set to surge this year. Microsoft, meanwhile, beats expectations but unsettles markets by flagging slower cloud growth, triggering a sell-off despite strong headline numbers. The earnings picture widens with our UP or DOWN round: Tesla grapples with its weakest annual profit since the pandemic, Starbucks shows signs of a long-awaited turnaround, while SK Hynix and Samsung ride relentless demand for AI-driven memory and chips. Markets zoom out as the S&P 500 briefly tops 7,000 before retreating, with the U.S. Federal Reserve holding rates steady under continued pressure from President Donald Trump. We end back home in Singapore, tracking STI movers and new SGX board lot changes, before closing with a cultural curveball - the Grammys! K-pop is entering the fray and Michelle shares her pick for an artist who signals a deeper shift from spectacle to substance.  Hosted by Michelle Martin with Ryan Huang.