The Afternoon Update with Lynlee Foo

S-Reits have kicked off the earnings season this week, with Frasers Centrepoint Trust the first to report their earnings. So how have S-Reits performed so far? On The Afternoon Update, Hongbin Jeong is joined by Geoff Howie, Market Strategist at the SGX, for a market wrap of the week to find out whether S-Reits are showing a muted performance as many had expected ahead of the earnings season. They also discuss how the STI fared in the past week, biggest movers, SG inflation data, and what to expect for the Monetary Authority of Singapore durings its policy meeting next week. 

With the end in sight for the rate hike cycle and the US dollar expected to weaken with that backdrop, there is optimism for emerging markets this year. So what’s the outlook like for these emerging markets? Will emerging economies outperform developed countries this year? What are some factors that will help drive growth in emerging markets? On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Alessia Berardi, Head of Emerging Macro and Strategy Research at Amundi Investment Institute, to find out more about the opportunities investors can seek out in these emerging economies.

Buildings alone account for close to 40% of global energy-related carbon emissions. And with many of the buildings around today expected to still be standing by net zero target date of 2050  - Rachel Kelly speaks to Adrien Pierson, Vice President of Strategy, iviva to find out if the industry is progressing fast enough.

2023 turned out to be better than many had expected for markets. But a number of key issues are coming to the forefront that will affect prospects in 2024. Pictet Wealth Management has recently published its prediction for the global economy and financial markets for the year ahead. They’ve labelled the year of 2024 as the ‘The Year of the Funambulist'. On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Rickie Jia, Head of Discretionary Portfolio Management Multi-Asset and Management Asia, Pictet Wealth Management, to find out why.

Attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea have escalated, with no signs yet of tensions easing any time soon. The escalation of the conflict has heightened worries about supply risks, with oil markets the most vulnerable. But according to analysts, while the diversions by oil tankers were expected to push up the cost and time it takes to transport oil, supplies have not yet been impacted. Meanwhile, others warn that prices could change rapidly if supply is disrupted. So are oil prices truly reflecting the geopolitical risks in the Red Sea? On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Priyanka Sachdeva, Senior Market Analyst, Phillip Nova, to find out more. 

In 2023, many Asian currencies were battered by a strong US dollar amid persistent inflation, rising geopolitical tensions, and high interest rates. But since last December, most Asian currencies showed signs that they will ride into 2024 on an optimistic note. That’s as investors expected a potential rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve as early as March. However such optimism has somewhat faded in the New Year. So what’s the outlook on Asian currencies now? Which currencies should we look out for? On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Jerome Tay, Investment Manager, Asian Fixed Income Team, abrdn, to find out more. Highlights: 1. Now that we have prospects of interest rate cuts, especially by the US Fed, with some pricing in rate cuts as early as March, what would that mean for Asian currencies? - 1:28 2. What are some other themes set to boost or move Asian currencies in the year ahead? - 2:35 3. What's the overall outlook of the Sing dollar this year? - 6:38 4. Are there any other currencies that you'll be looking out for this year that investors should take note of? - 9:27 5. What other opportunities and value are you seeing in the fixed income space? - 10:13

On What's Trending today, Philippines capital is known for its traffic congestion, but Manila’s traffic is so bad that it led Coldplay to write a song about it. Manila's notorious traffic, in fact, became a major theme of Coldplay's visit to the Philippines, with Chris Martin coming up with an impromptu song about the so-called insane jams during his concert in the capital.  Also trending today, H&M pulls its school uniform ad in Australia after complaints it sexualised children; while a 'Zombie' virus which has spent more than 48,000 years frozen in the Arctic is at risk of sparking another deadly pandemic. 

To close the year, Singapore’s market closed flat in 2023, outperforming some of its regional rivals. But it failed to outperform markets in North Asia and North America. So what lessons can we learn from last year to mitigate the risks of the market this year? For investors navigating markets in 2024, what are some key themes they should look out for? On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Thilan Wickramasinghe, Head of Equity Research, Maybank Securities, to find out more. 

On The Afternoon Update, Hongbin Jeong is joined by Geoff Howie, Market Strategist at the SGX, for a market wrap of the week. They discuss how the STI fared in the past week, the biggest movers on the STI, SG NODX numbers, the performance of iEdge Sg Advanced Manufacturing Index, as well as when US rate cuts are expected to roll in.

After defying recession fears last year, the US economy has maintained stronger growth than widely expected. With several possible rate cuts planned for this year by the US Fed, what's now expected from the US economy? What asset classes are set to benefit from the better US economic outlook? On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Nikolaj Schmidt, Chief International Economist in the Fixed Income Division of T. Rowe Price, to find out more.