Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

From family offices to boutique advisory firms, the world of wealth management is shifting fast. Consolidation is on the rise, clients are demanding advice that’s truly tailored to them, and technology is changing how investments are managed. So what’s driving the surge in popularity of External Asset Managers, or EAMs? And how are client expectations evolving in this new landscape? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Laurent Pellet, Global Head of External Asset Managers (EAM), Lombard Odier, to find out more.

Move over MBTI. On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Nadiah Koh dive into China’s viral SBTI, a chaotic, meme-fueled personality quiz that doesn’t analyze you so much as roast you. With savage labels like ‘BOSS’, ‘ATM-er’, and even ‘DEAD’, millions are jumping in… but what does its popularity say about how Gen Z sees themselves today? Then, closer to home, would you do your makeup on the MRT? A blunt new campaign telling commuters to ‘Don’t groom in public’ has sparked a surprisingly heated debate in Singapore. Where’s the line between being efficient… and being inconsiderate?

Singapore shares dipped today as investors’ focus turned to global earnings due for the week. The Straits Times Index was down 0.13% at 5,014.72 points at 3.05pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.47B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Olam Group, after the group said today that it has obtained regulatory approvals from all jurisdictions for the proposed sale of its 44.58 per cent stake in Olam Agri to a Saudi fund. Elsewhere, from how China‘s economy picked up speed early in 2026 on strong exports and policy support, to how Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) booked a 58 per cent surge in profit, more corporate and economic headlines remained in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director, Azure Capital. 

When tensions rise, gold usually shines. But this time… not quite. With the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz pushing oil prices sharply higher, you’d expect investors to pile into gold. Instead, prices are slipping, and that’s raising a big question… Is gold losing its safe-haven status, or is something else at play here? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Robin Tsui, APAC Gold Strategist at State Street Investment Management, to find out more.

A $2 charge for children drinking plain water has sparked an intense debate in Singapore. After a family was billed under a no-outside-drinks policy, a restaurant saw its Google rating plunge overnight amid a wave of online backlash. On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Nadiah Koh unpack why opinions are so divided, and whether ‘review bombing’ is a fair form of consumer protest or a step too far.  Next up, we take to the skies. After a nightmare economy flight experience, a new idea from Air New Zealand catches our attention. The upcoming “Skynest” bunk bed concept promises real, lie-flat sleep for economy passengers… but at nearly US$500 for a few hours, is it the future of flying or just another expensive upsell?

Nearly one in five Singapore workers is overqualified for their jobs, but most aren’t stuck there by accident. New data from MOM shows 19.4% of resident workers in 2025 hold qualifications above job requirements, up from a decade ago. But the surprising part? Most say it’s by choice. Other findings from NTUC and SUTD echo the same trend, pointing to a growing group of workers deliberately taking on roles below their qualifications. So what’s behind this shift and what does it say about how Singaporeans view work today? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Professor Lawrence Loh, Department of Strategy and Policy, National University of Singapore, to unpack what this means for Singapore’s evolving labour landscape.

Singapore shares inched higher today, tracking gains seen in the region. The Straits Times Index was up 0.2% at 5,017.73 points at 2.25pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.24B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch for today, we have Fraser and Neave, given how the beverage giant will invest up to NZ$20.1 million (S$15 million) in New Zealand-based honey producer Comvita. Elsewhere, from how major bank titans from JP Morgan Chase to Citigroup fared per their latest quarterly results, to how China’s growth likely rebounded in the first quarter of 2026, more corporate and international headlines remained in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Kenneth Goh, Director, Private Wealth Management, UOB Kay Hian.

Oil prices are reacting fast to renewed tensions in the Gulf, but the bigger question for investors is what happens if this isn’t just a short shock. Which emerging markets are most exposed, who could actually benefit, and how far could this ripple into global funding conditions? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Ed Parker, Managing Director, Global Head of Research, Sovereigns & Supranationals, Fitch Ratings, for more.

Singapore’s central bank on April 14 tightened its monetary policy stance for the first time since 2022 to allow for a stronger currency in the face of soaring oil and natural gas prices from the Iran war. The Monetary Authority of Singapore said it has steepened the slope of the Singapore dollar nominal effective exchange rate (S$NEER) policy band – signalling that it will allow the currency to appreciate and dampen the impact of rising import costs. What this policy change could mean for the cost of living in Singapore? Will it meaningfully ease price pressures for households? How might businesses be affected? And what does it signal about the economic outlook in the months ahead? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Tay Qi Hang, Asia Analyst, Economist Intelligence Unit, to find out more.

On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong and Nadiah Koh dive into the strange new world of AI-generated “slopaganda”, where bright, toy-like animations are being used to spread political messaging about the Iran conflict, and racking up hundreds of millions of views in the process. It looks like entertainment. It feels like entertainment. But is it actually influence? Then, we switch gears to a completely different kind of viral trend: people paying thousands of dollars just to… read. From countryside escapes to luxury European retreats, reading is being rebranded as a premium wellness experience. So why are people willing to spend so much just to sit still and focus?