Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

Singapore shares nudged higher today as investors continued to monitor the situation in the Middle East and mull upcoming US-Iran talks to be held over the weekend.  The Straits Times Index edged 0.13% higher to 4,983.64 points at 1.39pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.00B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have the Singapore Exchange, given how the local bourse’s total securities market turnover value increased 78 per cent year on year to S$52.8 billion in March.  Elsewhere, from how traders questioned the durability of this week’s US-Iran ceasefire, to how China’s factory-gate prices rose for the first time in 3-1/2 years in March, more international headlines remained in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Benjamin Goh, Head of Research and Investor Education, SIAS.

Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian reports from Jakarta, Indonesia in this “On the Go” special episode of Under the Radar, as she covers the key highlights of GrabX 2026.  That’s the Southeast Asia superapp’s annual product showcase, where the firm unveiled the latest innovations to be rolled out progressively this year. Themed “Your Everyday Guide”, this year’s event features 13 new AI-powered product features and seeks to highlight Grab’s evolution into an intelligent guide that supports users and merchants seamlessly from living to travelling, in Southeast Asia and beyond.  From a Group Ride solution that helps sequence a trip among several passengers efficiently, to a virtual store manager that uses existing CCTV hardware to monitor store operations and hygiene standards using AI, Tian Tian brings you a sneak peek at the firm’s new offerings.

Blind boxes: adorable, collectible… and unexpectedly addictive. What began as a niche hobby for toy enthusiasts has exploded into a mainstream phenomenon, popping up in stores, fast food chains, and online platforms. But this popularity comes with a downside. Concerns over compulsive spending have prompted Singapore to consider regulations aimed at curbing the gambling-like risks of blind boxes. If rules are introduced, can strategies like ‘demarketing’ actually help curb addiction? And is it even possible to make a product designed to be irresistible truly safe without killing its appeal? On The Big Story, Debbie Yong speaks with Dr. Nurhafihz Noor, Senior Lecturer in Business (Marketing) at James Cook University Singapore (Singapore Campus), to find out more.

Jewelry is increasingly being repositioned from a luxury purchase to a tangible store of value, as wealthy investors seek alternatives amid market volatility and geopolitical uncertainty. From record-breaking auction sales to strong resale demand for maisons like Cartier and Bulgari, high-end pieces, especially rare colored gemstones, are attracting capital alongside assets like art and watches. On The Wealth Tracker, Debbie Yong speaks to Danilo Giannoni, Founder and Director of Arte Oro, about how investors are allocating into jewelry today, from gold versus gemstones to resale value, liquidity, and where the strongest opportunities lie.

A recent wave of departures, from Enhypen’s Heeseung to NCT’s Mark and Ten, has fans questioning what’s next for the industry, and whether individual ambition is starting to outweigh group identity. Plus, would you pay hundreds of thousands for a drink? Well, a Japanese brewery just sold a US$700,000 bottle of sake which was brewed in space. On What’s Trending, Debbie Yong and Alexandra Parada discuss idol departures in K-pop and whether space-brewed sake is innovation or just another hype.

Markets are flashing red across the board with Singapore slips 0.4% to 4,977, mirroring broader weakness across Asia and US futures. With sentiment turning cautious, the question now is: are we in a “buy the dip, sell the rip” environment? Meanwhile, strong earnings growth in the US continues to underpin optimism, driven largely by tech and financials. But with recent market pullbacks, how crucial is sector rotation in sustaining that momentum through the rest of 2026? On Market View, Sean Cheong speaks to David Chow from Azure Capital, to discuss the latest market movements.

St Andrew’s Secondary School are the B Division rugby champions...at last. On Sports Minutes, captain Joshua Kee and out-centre Wesley Choo relive their nail-biting win over arch rivals Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) in the National School Games. A remarkable story of redemption and coronation, after years of heartbreak. READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/schools/redemption-for-wesley-choo-as-saints-defeat-acsi-in-b-division-rugby-final?ref=top-stories Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg  

US President Donald Trump has announced a two-week suspension of attacks on Iran—a tense, last-minute pause in a conflict that has already rattled the Middle East and global markets. The ceasefire hinges on Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint carrying one-fifth of the world’s oil. With talks set to begin on April 10, key disagreements remain over nuclear enrichment and sanctions relief. Is this a genuine step toward lasting peace, or a fragile pause in a high-stakes standoff? What are the risks if negotiations falter, and how much leverage do Washington and Tehran really hold? On The Big Story, Debbie Yong speaks with Dr Jessica Genauer, Academic Director of the Public Policy Institute & Associate Professor in International Relations, University of New South Wales, to find out more.

Singapore has introduced a fresh round of support measures worth close to $1 billion as rising energy prices and global instability threaten to push inflation higher. At the same time, a newly announced ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran offers a brief window of relief for global markets, but uncertainty remains. So how far can these measures go in cushioning the immediate impact and is Singapore prepared for a more prolonged period of global volatility? On The Big Story, Debbie Yong speaks with Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, Senior International Affairs Analyst at Solaris Strategies Singapore and a concurrent Senior Lecturer at the National University of Singapore, to find out more.

According to CNN, Singapore’s Le Freeport—a climate-controlled vault usually reserved for extreme wealth — is now home to a 66‑million-year-old Triceratops skeleton, standing just feet away from billions in gold and priceless contemporary art. Dinosaurs, gold, and masterpieces, all under one roof? Behind the spectacle lies a complex story. Families holding these alternative assets must navigate structuring their holdings, complying with Singapore’s strict regulations, verifying provenance, valuing unusual assets, and planning for taxes and succession. On The Big Story, Debbie Yong speaks with Neil Synnott, Regional Chief Commercial Officer for APAC at IQ-EQ, to explore how family offices and advisors help these families manage risk and regulation, while preserving the excitement and prestige of owning something truly exceptional.