19 November 2024
Market View: Is a StarHub-M1 consolidation finally on the Horizon?
Singapore stocks wrapped up the day in positive territory, with the Straits Times Index (STI) closing 0.6% higher at 3,755 points amid strong market breadth.
In terms of companies to watch, Oiltek International shone after reporting a near doubling of its third-quarter earnings, supported by strong demand for its refining business and a robust $400 million order book.
On the telecom front, market talk of a potential merger between StarHub and M1 has resurfaced, sparking speculation about consolidation in the sector.
On Market View, Frankie Ho dives into the details with James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer for Southeast Asia and India, HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth.

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18 September 2024
Market View: Last look at expectations ahead of Fed decision - 25bps or 50 bps; Meta reportedly facing hefty fine in EU; Chanel buys building in Paris shopping district; China’s MLF; Lippo Malls Indonesia Retail Trust’s credit ratings and more
Singapore stocks began trading in the negative territory today, although global equities largely rose overnight.
In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) fell 0.5 per cent to 3,576.13 points after 46.4 million securities changed hands in the broader market.
In terms of companies to watch, we have Sembcorp. That’s after Sembcorp said yesterday that Sembcorp Utilities agreed to acquire a 30 per cent interest in energy supplier Senoko Energy for an undisclosed sum.
Elsewhere, from a pivot in Salesforce’s artificial intelligence strategy to Meta reportedly facing hefty EU antitrust fines over alleged efforts to dominate the classified advertising market – more international and corporate headlines remain in focus.
Also on deck – on last look at market expectations before the US Fed announces its September rate decision, plus Chanel buying a building in a high-profile shopping destination in Paris.
On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia and India at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth.

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20 August 2024
Market View: What to watch at the Jackson Hole Symposium; Harris and Trump on US taxes; Bank of Thailand’s rate trajectory with new PM; Earnings expectations from US retailers Target, TJX and more
Singapore shares started trading in positive territory today, mirroring overnight gains in the global markets.
The Straits Times Index (STI) opened 0.1 per cent higher at 3,359.88 points after 46 million securities changed hands in the broader market.
In terms of companies to watch, we have Keppel, after the asset manager today inked a memorandum of understanding with the Asian Development Bank and Enterprise Singapore to explore US$800 million worth of energy transition and environmental sustainability opportunities in the Asia-Pacific.
Elsewhere, from what to watch at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium held later this week, to the implications of possible US tax changes to global firms, more corporate and international headlines remain in focus.
On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia and India at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth.

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23 July 2024
Market View: Investors return to US tech shares; Trump trade; US PCE expectations; Singapore’s headline and core inflation slows more than expected in June; Expectations on MAS’ next move and more
Singapore stocks opened higher today following overnight gains in overseas markets after a shaky end last week.
In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) headed up 0.5 per cent to 3,455.38 points after 47.5 million securities changed hands in the broader market.
In terms of companies to watch, we have Seatrium, after the offshore and marine specialist secured S$180 million worth of contracts to repair and upgrade various types of ships, such as offshore vessels, ferries and tankers.
Elsewhere, from more on Singapore’s inflation slowing more than expected in June, to the implications of US Vice President Kamala Harris potentially securing broad support to become the Democratic Party’s nominee – more local and international headlines remain in focus.
On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia and India at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth.

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8 May 2024
Market View: What does TikTok’s suing of the US federal government mean for other media/tech counters in the US, and what does UOB’s results mean for trio of local banks on SGX?
Singapore stocks declined at the opening bell this morning, tracking subdued overnight performance in the US market.
In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) shed 0.4 per cent to 3,287.81 points after 29.8 million securities changed hands in the broader market.
In terms of companies to watch, we have UOB, after the lender posted a net profit of S$1.49 billion for its first quarter ended Mar 31, down 1.6 per cent from what we saw a year ago.
Elsewhere, from Elon Musk proposing to launch robotaxis in China, to TikTok suing the US federal government as its struggles to survive in the country, we’ve got more international and corporate headlines in focus.
Also on deck, how the US reportedly revoked licences that allowed companies like Intel and Qualcomm to ship chips used for laptops and handsets to Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei Technologies.
On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia and India at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth.

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16 April 2024
Market View: STI performance amid global tensions; SIA’s passenger numbers up 20.7% yoy; China’s GDP grew 5.4% in Jan-Mar; TSMC’s expected to report 5% rise in Q1 profits; Billions up for grabs in Tokyo’s real estate sector, driving attention of activist funds; Microsoft and Google to pour billions into AI
Singapore stocks fell at the opening bell this morning, tracking losses in global markets amid worries over geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East.
In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) fell 0.3 per cent to 3,175.63 points after 39.3 million securities changed hands in the broader market.
In terms of companies to watch, Singapore Airlines, after the national carrier and its low-cost arm Scoot together moved 3.3 million passengers in March, up 20.7 per cent from the previous year.
Elsewhere from more on TSMC’s earnings to China’s Q1 GDP numbers, more corporate and international headlines remain in focus.
Glad to unpack the developments with James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia and India at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth.

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26 March 2024
Market View: Singapore’s factory output up 3.8% yoy in Feb; Shares of Lum Chang down over 10%, MD David Lum attended interviews with CPIB; China’s battery manufacturer CATL doubles down expansion; US Consumer Confidence, PCE Price Index expectations; Jerome Powell vs Raphael Bostic on rates; Donald Trump one of world’s 500 richest people
Singapore stocks opened muted this morning after data for Singapore’s headline and core inflation in February came in hotter than anticipated.
Figures released yesterday showed that headline inflation for February climbed to 3.4 per cent year on year, up from 2.9 per cent in January.
In terms of companies to watch, shares of Lum Chang fell more than 10 per cent this morning after the company revealed that its managing director, David Lum, had “attended several interviews” with the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) to assist on the latest charges filed against Singapore’s former transport minister S Iswaran.
Elsewhere, from Singapore’s latest factory numbers to the founder of China’s battery manufacturer CATL pressing ahead with expansion amid slowing EV sales globally – more local and international headlines remain in focus.
Also on deck – Donald Trump!
On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia and India at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth.

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13 February 2024
Market View: Nvidia briefly overtook Amazon; US January Core Inflation; S&P 500 rally – has it hit a wall?; Appetite for India IPO; Japan GDP slips to world’s 4th largest economy; Singapore’s Q4 GDP; Straco Corp’s FY 2023 net profit, expectations for CNY demand
Singapore shares rose at the opening bell this morning, following overnight gains in global markets.
In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) gained 0.3 per cent to 3,146.08 points after 41.2 million securities changed hands in the broader market.
In terms of companies to watch, James, we have Straco Corp. The tourism facilities operator said in its profit guidance that it expects to report a substantial net profit for FY2023, swinging into the black from the net loss reported in FY2022.
Meanwhile, economic developments are in focus, ranging from expectations on US core inflation in January to Q4 GDP growth rate expectations out of Japan and Singapore.
Also on deck today – the appetite for IPOs in India as well as Nvidia’s shares overtaking Amazon briefly in the previous session.
On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked these developments with  James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth.

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3 January 2024
Market View: India’s 2024 manufacturing outlook; Tencent, Chinese rivals on signs of Beijing tamping down a backlash against harsh new regulations; US market outlook and growth outside “Magnificent Seven” stocks; Apple, Samsung and Generative AI; Mickey Mouse’s initial copyright expires
Singapore stocks opened weaker today following overnight losses in the US and Europe after technology stocks took a beating.
In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) headed down 0.8 per cent to 3,204.07 points, after 83.7 million securities changed hands in the broader market.
Regional and international headlines are in focus today. Among which is the outlook for India’s manufacturing industry, after it ended 2023 on a slightly shaky footing. That’s with factory growth decelerating to an eighteen-month low in December.
Also on the table , the outlook for the US market and whether we can expect growth outside of the Magnificent Seven stocks.
On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked these developments with  James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth.

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21 November 2023
Market View: Vertex SPAC issues new shares to Pipe Investors; Investment in thematic funds; OpenAI investors reportedly exploring legal recourse against board, board reportedly wanted to merge Anthropic with OpenAI; Fed minutes, Thomas Barkin’s comments on inflation
Singapore stocks opened slightly weaker today as banks and index counters started the morning mixed.
In early trade, the Straits Times Index headed down 0.1 per cent to 3,109.81 points after 62.6 million securities changed hands in the broader market.
In terms of companies to watch, Vertex Technology Acquisition Corporation announced today that it will issue 600,000 new shares at S$5 apiece to private investment in public equity (Pipe) investors to raise some S$3 million in gross proceeds.
Elsewhere from OpenAI investors considering suing its board to investors in thematic funds losing over two thirds of their total returns due to poorly timed buying and selling behaviour, more international developments remain in focus.
On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked these developments with  James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth.

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25 October 2023
Market View: Sembcorp Utilities and PT PLN to explore feasibility of green hydrogen production in Indonesia; DPU numbers out from Mapletree Logistics Trust, Frasers Centrepoint Trust, Far East Hospitality Trust; Vietnam reportedly planning to relax stock market settlement procedures; US Earnings, Meta and IBM set to report
Singapore shares were trading muted this morning, after global equities ended higher overnight on earnings optimism.
In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) was up by a marginal 0.04 per cent to 3,085.12 points after 41.9 million securities changed hands in the broader market.
In terms of companies to watch, we have Sembcorp Industries, after its subsidiary Sembcorp Utilities signed a joint development study agreement with Indonesian utility company PT PLN to explore the feasibility of green hydrogen production in Indonesia for export to Singapore.
Aside from Sembcorp Industries, we do have a number of updates from S-REIT managers.
Further away, a slew of earnings out of Coca-Cola, Verizon and 3M fuelled optimism for the US reporting season, but what can we expect looking ahead?
On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked these developments with James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth.

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19 September 2023
Market View: SingPost’s hikes standard mail rates by 65%; NIO to issue US$500m convertible senior notes; Sunac and Country Garden struck debt deals with creditors; US Fed’s rate expectations for Sep and Nov; Gold price movements before Fed decision
Singapore shares started the day nearly flat, tracking a more subdued performance across the US and Europe as investors anticipate the Federal Reserve’s next rate hike decision.
In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) inched up 0.03 per cent to 3,264.42 points after 27 million securities changed hands in the broader market.
In terms of companies to watch, we have Singapore Post, after the postal service provider said it is introducing a significant rate increment for the first time in almost a decade.
Elsewhere, more on NIO to Sunac and Country Garden forging debt deals with creditors, more corporate headlines remain in focus.
On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked these developments with James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth.

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8 August 2023
Market View: Net interest margin outlook for Singapore banks; S-Reits’ distribution; China’s imports and exports fell much faster than expected in July; China + ASEAN and India exposure; Moody’s cut credit ratings of small to mid-sized banks; puts 6 banking giants on review for potential downgrades
Singapore shares edged up at the open today, tracking overnight gains in the US and Europe.
In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) rose 0.1 per cent to 3,313.22 points after 63.1 million securities changed hands in the broader market.
In terms of sectors to watch, Singapore’s banking scene continues to be at the front and centre of investors’ minds as banks registered resilient results for the second quarter of 2023.
Elsewhere, from the latest trade numbers out of China to ASEAN being a bright spot amid shifts in global supply chains and Moody’s cutting credit ratings of several small to mid-sized US banks – international headlines continue to be in focus.
On Market View, the Drive Time team unpacked these developments with James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth.

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7 March 2023
Market View: China-focused Reits outperformed peers on SGX; Reading into China’s lower-than-expected GDP target vs incoming PMI data; US February jobs report; Asset allocation strategy in the near term; Impact of current economic environment on tech giants such as Grab and Meta
Singapore shares fell today following mixed activity in US and Europe markets.
The Straits Times Index fell 0.1 per cent to 3,236.61 points in early trade after 157 million securities changed hands.
Some companies seeing new developments include Yangzijiang Financial Holdings, which is partnering with Singapore-based fund manager Tahan Capital Management to invest in private credit assets in Asia.
Meanwhile, several China-focused Reits have outperformed their peers listed on the Singapore Exchange over the last six months amid China’s recovery, but what does this suggest about the speed of China’s recovery from the pandemic?
On Market View, the Drive Time team unpacked these developments with  James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth.

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16 November 2022
Market View: Possibility of US rates reaching 6%, Indonesia’s rate hikes, UK fiscal statement

As world leaders gather in the resort island of Bali for the G20 Summit to discuss how countries can “Recover Together, Recover Stronger” from the pandemic, macroeconomic challenges such as inflation, slowing growth and US interest rate hike continue to weigh on governments and central banks.
For one thing, Indonesia’s central bank is set to raise its interest rates by 50 basis points later this week, while further away, the UK is set to release its highly anticipated fiscal statement tomorrow.
So what would all of these mean for markets, and what is the investment outlook ahead for us retail investors in Singapore?
On Market View, Prime Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian spoke with James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth for more.

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9 March 2022
Across the ASEAN: Tracking Signs of a Green Revolution in Southeast Asia
James Cheo, HSBC Global Private Banking & Wealth's CIO for Southeast Asia, joined us on Across the ASEAN to discuss what he says are signs of a "Green Revolution" in Southeast Asia. He highlights 4 major trends he's tracking in the region, and how investors can look for ways to identify opportunities in this transformative time.

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29 December 2021
Across the ASEAN: Outlook for regional markets
The year ahead sees questions raised by the new Omicron variant- - could we be in for more uncertainty and potential volatility for a region that’s desperate to normalise and reopen? Coming up in the best of Prime Time, Finance Presenter JP Ong speaks to James Cheo CIO Southeast Asia at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth to find out.

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01 September 2021
Across the ASEAN: The Regional Outlook for the Last 4 Months of 2021
We are officially in the last third of the year, and the outlook for ASEAN markets remain hazy given COVID-19 uncertainties. Meanwhile, Singapore's Straits Times Index trudges below 3100 despite many positive factors from a high vaccination rate to brighter GDP expectations. James Cheo, Southeast Asia CIO for Private Banking and Wealth Management at HSBC, spoke to us on Across the ASEAN to kick off the month of September, to share his outlook for regional markets.

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30 June 2021
Across the ASEAN: Looking at What's in Store for the 2nd Half for ASEAN Markets
James Cheo, CIO for Southeast Asia at HSBC Private Banking, joined us on Across the ASEAN to look back at the 1st half for ASEAN markets, and to share what they're looking out for in the latter half of 2021.

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17 March 2021
Across the ASEAN: How Rising US Bond Yields are Shaping ASEAN Markets
Markets continue to talk about the rise in US bond yields and concerns about inflation. But what might this mean for broader Southeast Asian markets? James Cheo, Southeast Asia CEO for HSBC Private Banking and Wealth Management, joined us on Across the ASEAN to take stock of the recent bond selloff, and what it might mean for ASEAN bonds and equities. He also talked about why he likes Indonesian hard currency bonds, why he's seeing better days ahead for Singaporean markets, and what he makes of the recent uptick in retail investing across the ASEAN.

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27 January 2021
Across the ASEAN: The Changing Outlook for ASEAN Markets According to HSBC
James Cheo, Chief Market Strategist for Southeast Asia at HSBC Private Bank, joined us on Across the ASEAN to take stock of the first month of the new year for regional markets, and what may be in store for Southeast Asia under the new Biden administration in the US. He shared with us his outlook for regional markets, why they're a bit more positive on Singapore, and why there may be better opportunities in Chinese fixed income versus their ASEAN counterparts this year.

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28 October 2020
Across the ASEAN: Taking Stock of ASEAN Bonds, Credit Risks and Currencies
Though markets may be bracing themselves for the upcoming US elections, James Cheo, Chief Market Strategist for Southeast Asia at HSBC Private Banking, thinks that developments regarding the COVID-19 pandemic will matter more for ASEAN markets in the long run. He joined us on Across the ASEAN to also give us his assessment of opportunities in the ASEAN bond space, potential credit risks facing the region's banks, and which ASEAN currency he's watching closely as we near the end of the year.

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14 October 2020
Across the ASEAN: The Regional Outlook with HSBC Private Bank's James Cheo
Markets across the ASEAN have underperformed others for the most part, finding it difficult to match recovery gains in other regions. James Cheo, Chief Market Strategist for Southeast Asia at HSBC Private Bank, joined us on Across the ASEAN to talk about the major challenges hampering broader ASEAN markets, as well as what he made of Singapore's Advanced 3Q GDP figures.

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29 March 2019
US-China Trade, EM, Yield Inversion
James Cheo, Chief Market Strategist, Southeast Asia, HSBC Private Bank shares what investors should be keeping an eye on this week, including US-China Trade, Emerging Markets, and the yield inversion.

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