Sani Hamid, Financial Alliance

21 March 2024
Money in the Market: Are markets satisfied with the latest US Fed interest rate decision?
The US Fed is largely sticking to its path of interest-rate cuts - for now. As widely expected, interest rates were kept unchanged at 5.25% to 5.5%. But this followed something else that went unchanged - the projection for rate cuts this year. Policymakers still see three cuts in 2024. But still questions remain when the first cut will come through. So how are markets reacting to this latest decision? On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, to find out more about what came out of the US Fed interest rate decision and when we can expect rate cuts.

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9 February 2024
Money in the Market: Is the global economy doing OK without China?
Chinese officials are doing whatever they can to stabilise the stock market… a slew of markets have been announced with the latest - the replacement of the head of the securities regulator. Investors are closely watching Beijing as they await more forceful policy to secure the turnaround. Meanwhile, while China is busy with its stock market rout, global equities are approaching records and even neighbouring Asian markets are relatively unscathed. So why aren’t regional equities not impacted more by the recent rout? Is China’s rescue plans enough for the rally to sustain? On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, to find out more.

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14 September 2023
Money in the Market: Rising US inflation: how does it impact the Fed's upcoming interest rate decisions?
US inflation accelerated in August for the second consecutive month, pushed up by rising gas prices.
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, core inflation, however - which excludes volatile food and energy prices - continued to slow.
The Consumer Price Index, a closely watched inflation gauge, rose 3.7% in August from a year earlier, up from July’s 3.2% rise.
On a month-to-month basis, prices rose 0.6% in August, compared with a 0.2% gain in July.
So what can we make of these numbers and how might it impact the Fed’s FOMC meeting next week?
On Money in the Market, Emaad Akhtar speaks to Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management, Financial Alliance to find out more.

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27 July 2023
Money in the Market: Could this be the last rate hike from the US Fed?
As widely expected, the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 25 basis points to further fight inflation, bringing an end to a brief pause to rate hikes last month.
The change brings borrowing costs to a 22-year high range of 5.25 percent to 5.5 percent.
While this hike was largely expected, markets had been hoping this would be the last hike for the year.
So did Jerome Powell signal that there will no longer be any more rate hikes?
To find out more, on Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management, Financial Alliance.

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29 May 2023
Money in the Market: Can a historic US default be averted?
White House and Republican negotiators have reached a tentative deal to raise the US debt ceiling and avert a default that threatened to send tremors through the global economy.
The bill has been lined up for a vote on Wednesday. How are Asian markets reacting to this news?
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned, though, that an extension must be finalised by June 5 to avoid a historic default that would send borrowing costs soaring. What would the worst-case scenario would be if that happens?
Hongbin Jeong speaks to Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, to find out more.

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29 March 2023
Money in the Market: Did March live up to its name of being March Madness for stock markets?
Global financial markets have been faced with weeks of volatility, with traders closing out a dizzying month in which worries about US and European lenders dominated sentiment and complicated central banks’ fight against inflation. On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Sani Hami, Director for Wealth Management at Financial Alliance to find out what a month it has been for stock markets, as well as the best strategy to use when it comes to investing in the current market.

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28 February 2023
Money in the Market: Which markets in Asia are performing well or poorly?
As Wall Street faced some heavy sell-offs in recent days, Asian markets followed suit, despite seeing a huge rally in the beginning of the year due to the optimism of China’s faster-than-expected reopening. So what’s moving Asian markets at the moment? And how do the current state of Asian stock markets compare to other global stock markets? On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong finds out more with Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management, Financial Alliance on what’s moving markets in the region.

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19 January 2023
Money in the Market: Can the first 31 days determine how the rest 2023 will be like for the stock market?
For the majority of this year, we’ve already seen a positive momentum in equities. Can this positive trend continue? Some say the first 31 days of the year can determine the way stock markets fare out for the rest of the year. So what’s in store for investors? On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management, Financial Alliance to find out more.

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5 December 2022
Money in the Market: A look at Singapore, Japan, China Private Survey PMI
A slew of private survey PMI results have been released today from several Asian nations including Singapore, Japan and China. On Money in the Market, finance producer Hongbin Jeong spoke to Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management from Financial Alliance, to find out what these figures mean.

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11 November 2022
Money in the Market: Was the market reaction to the US inflation report excessive?
US inflation cooled in October by more than expected, offering hope that the Federal Reserve will slow down their steep interest-rate hikes. The consumer price index was up 7.7% from a year earlier, which is the smallest annual advance since the start of the year. On Money in the Market, Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, joins us to tells us more about what the inflation data mean.

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27 October 2022
Bigger Picture: Tech earnings disappoint, dragging wider sentiment
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, discusses how much worse than expect recent tech earnings have been, and if investors should stay bullish on Meta's metaverse ambitions which are adding to the company's expenses amid a slowdown in advertising revenue.

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13 October 2022
Bigger Picture: Fed officials expect higher rates to stay in place
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance analyses the latest FOMC minutes and if much has changed since the meeting three weeks ago, as investors brace for September's Consumer Price Index data - which threatens to sink market sentiment if it is again hotter than expected.

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29 September 2022
Bigger Picture: Will the Fed pivot, or is it too early to tell?
Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management, Finance Alliance discusses Asian currencies sell-off, US blue chips hitting new lows and the possibility of the Fed pivoting.

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21 September 2022
Money in the Market: Will it be 75 or 100?
All eyes will be on the US Federal Reserve later this evening, as markets face another hefty interest rate as policymakers continue to fight against stubborn inflation. Officials are expected to deliver a third-straight 75 basis point increase.. But some say even a historic 100 basis point increase may be on the cards. On Money in the Market, Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, joins us to help us explain what we can expect and look out for later today.

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5 August 2022
Money and Me: Market reaction to military exercises and a look at the Chinese tech sector
Several airlines, including Singapore Airlines, have had to cancel flights to Taiwan as tensions ramp up with China's military exercises. Have financial markets been rattled? Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management, Financial Alliance shares his overview of the geopolitical headline in focus for the week Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan and discusses the outlook for the Chinese tech sector.

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15 July 2022
Weekly Wrap Up: Battling Inflation In Singapore
In a surprising move yesterday, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) boosted its support for the Singapore dollar in an off-cycle policy decision to cool inflation, which is expected to rise faster than previously anticipated.

This is the fourth tightening move by MAS since October 2021 which has caused fear among Singaporeans of a looming recession ahead.

To better understand this situation, the Breakfast Huddle Team speaks with Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance.

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6 July 2022
Market View: Can we expect the Fed to end tightening and pivot from its hawkish rate hikes?
On Market View, Melissa Hyak is joined by Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management at Financial Alliance to talk about signs of a rapidly deteriorating US economic outlook spurring bond traders to pencil in a complete policy turnaround by the Federal Reserve in the coming year, with interest-rate cuts in the middle of 2023; with focus on what would be a clear evidence that inflation is coming down. They also discuss the possibility of the US easing tariffs on Chinese imports; where China's economy currently stands and how ASEAN equities are set to perform for the second half of 2022.

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2 June 2022
Market View: How does the quantitative tightening in the US have an effect on markets in the region?
On Market View, Melissa Hyak speaks to Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management, Financial Alliance to discuss today's markets with focus on whether or not Shanghai’s easing of virus restrictions offer an instant panacea to an Asian slowdown; how quantitative quantitative tightening have an effect on markets in the region; and OPEC+'s meeting.

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25 May 2022
Market View: Food protectionism is spreading... What's the impact on Singapore?
On Market View, Melissa Hyak is joined by Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management, Financial Alliance to discuss Singapore's final print for the first quarter of 2022 GDP with focus on what the numbers tell us about Singapore economy; food protectionism and its impact on Singapore; and the stronger Singapore dollar against other regional currencies.

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12 May 2022
Bigger Picture: Is the worst of inflation over?
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, discusses how the hotter than expected inflation data from the US and China will mean for markets, and the plunge in stablecoin, UST, dragging down sentiment.

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11 May 2022
Market View: Is a tech bubble forming or is it bursting?
On Market View, Melissa Hyak is joined by Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management of Financial Alliance, as they discuss US President Joe Biden's latest speech on considering lifting China tariffs to lower consumer prices, whether a tech bubble is forming or is it bursting? plus what should investors take note of for the rest of 2022.

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4 May 2022
Market View: Market sentiments ahead of Fed May meeting
On Market View, Claressa Monteiro is joined by Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, as they look at market sentiments ahead of Federal Open Market Committee meeting (May 3-4), where the Fed is expected to raise rates by 50 basis points and announce a reduction in its balance sheet. Both also discussed the STI index being the better performer in the region so far this year as well as the impact on Australia's latest interest rate hike.

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28 April 2022
Bigger Picture: Meta earnings lift market sentiment
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance discusses what are the takeaways from Facebook parent Meta's beat on user growth, and the significance of the Keppel-Sembmarine deal to merge, as well as Yangzijiang Financial Holdings' debut on the SGX.

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4 April 2022
Bigger Picture: China removes key hurdle to allow U.S. full access to audits
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, discusses if the latest compromise by China signals that the slump for Chinese stocks has bottomed out, and also other key events to watch out for this week.

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25 January 2022
Market View, 25 Jan
On Market View, Claressa Monteiro is joined by Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, as they deep dive into MAS's latest announcement to 'raise slightly' rate of appreciation of policy band to counter rising inflation, the reason behind Asian shares taking a tumble today, what to look out for upcoming flash PMIs this week, the Reits sector, revenge buying and investor sentiments.

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6 January 2022
Bigger Picture: Emerging trends from tech innovations at CES Las Vegas
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance gives his view on the tech sell off overnight on Wall Street, and some of the highlights from CES Las Vegas, including a TV to display and transact your NFTs.

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24 December 2021
Bigger Picture: Investing in virtual land
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance discusses the rising trend of NFTs and virtual real estate, and what investors need to consider.

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10 December 2021
Bigger Picture: China Evergrande labeled defaulter for first time
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, discusses the impact and potential ripple effects from Fitch Ratings' move to downgrade Evergrande's rating to "restricted default".

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25 November 2021
Bigger Picture: Fed opens door for quicker tapering
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, discusses the latest FOMC minutes and the pressure on other central banks to also tighten amid rising inflation.

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19 October 2021
Market View: The launch of the Bitcoin ProShares ETF, merger between ESR REIT and ARA Logos Logistics Trust, China's Q3 GDP, Fantasia Holdings, P&G, J&J and Singapore's stocks in early trade
What is the advantage to the investor of the launch of the Bitcoin ProShares ETF today? What can we make of consolidation in the REIT sector? Were China's third quarter numbers a surprise? What can we make of earning season so far?

Michelle Martin and Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management at Financial Alliance discuss.

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13 October 2021
Bigger Picture: IMF trims global growth outlook, warns about dangerous divergence
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, discusses what investors should take away from the latest forecast by the International Monetary Fund, which warns that the recovery momentum is fading and poorer countries are struggling to get access to vaccines.

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16 September 2021
Bigger Picture: China's clampdown on casinos
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, discusses how China is cracking down on the "seven deadly sins" and reports about Temasek and GIC planning to invest more in the local stock markets.

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2 September 2021
Bigger Picture: Changing paradigm with herd immunity a more distant hope
Sani Hamid, Director, Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, discusses how the recent shift in thinking in managing COVID-19 affects how investors approach vaccinated and unvaccinated economies.

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19 August 2021
Bigger Picture: Fed Minutes signal tapering this year
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, discusses what investors should takeaway from the Fed's latest minutes and where the division in the views lay.

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8 July 2021
Bigger Picture: China expands crackdown on overseas listed firms
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, discusses the impact of China's expanded crackdown on overseas listed firms, the less hawkish tone from the FOMC's latest minutes and the upside for the STI amid restrictions being lifted.

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27 May 2021
Bigger Picture: Big Oil under bigger pressure to go greener
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, discusses the investment prospects of oil companies amid renewed pressure on them to go greener faster, and where crypto currencies fit alongside gold in an investment portfolio.

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1 April 2021
Bigger Picture: Biden's infrastructure plans & tax hikes
Sani Hamid, Director of wealth management, Financial Alliance discusses how markets will price in official unveiling of President Biden's infrastructure bill, which is alongside plans to hike tax rates to 28%.

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4 March 2021
Bigger Picture: Does the STI need a makeover urgently?
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, discusses whether the Straits Times Index needs a revamp to have more diversity of sectors and equal weightings of individual companies.

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18 February 2021
Bigger Picture: Texas deep freeze threatens oil market crisis
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth management, Financial Alliance, discusses the spike in oil prices as 40 percent of US crude production goes offline, and if the inverse relationship between bonds and stocks is still intact.

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21 January 2021
Bigger Picture: Lookback on wealth management in 2020 & Outlook for 2021
On Bigger Picture, IG Senior Market Strategist, Pan Jingyi speaks to Sani Hamid, Director for Wealth Management, Financial Alliance who shares a summary of wealth management in 2020 and trends he is looking into for 2021 in terms of asset allocation.

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7 January 2021
Bigger Picture: Markets shake off Capitol Hill chaos
Sani Hamid, Director of Wealth Management, Financial Alliance, discusses why investors are more focused on the Blue Sweep of Congress than the unprecedented storming of Capitol Hill by hundreds of Trump supporters.

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