The Afternoon Update with Lynlee Foo

The US has averted a catastrophic debt default. The deal that's been brokered limits federal spending for two years and suspends the debt ceiling through the 2024 election. What does this mean? How are markets likely to react if the US Federal Reserve opts for another rate hike - and what kind of impacts will that have on the US economy? On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Vishnu Varathan, Head of Economics & Strategy, Asia at Mizuho Bank to find out more. 

India's economic growth accelerated to 6.1% in the March quarter, boosted by government and private capital spending even as private consumption remained sluggish. India recently made the headlines for reclaiming its spot at the world’s fifth largest stock market after losing that status to France in January, boosted by a rebound in Adani Group stocks. What is keeping foreign investors interested in Indian shares? Hongbin Jeong speaks to Tom Easton, India Business & Finance Editor, The Economist to find out more.

The performance of US equities has been mixed following the announcement of a tentative deal on the longstanding US debt ceiling impasse. The bond market also has much to contend with. The Treasury will need to replenish its coffers by selling more debt and the passing of the deal puts focus back on the Federal Reserve’s fight to tame inflation.  Meanwhile, gold futures and spot price rose while oil prices have slumped.  Hongbin Jeong speaks to Danish Lim, Market Analyst, Phillip Nova,to find out more about the latest developments in equities, bond and commodities markets.

Listed companies are on a path to warm the planet by 2.7° above preindustrial levels this century. That’s according to the latest MSCI Net-Zero Tracker. The number is well above  limiting the rise in average global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius  above preindustrial levels. And while climate goals by listcos may be on the rise, so are emissions.  Rachel Kelly speaks to Sylvain Vanston, Executive Director, Climate Change Investment Research, MSCI to find out why.

The US dollar nudged lower, pulling back from six-month peaks against the yen, following news of a U.S. debt ceiling deal, which lifted risk appetite across world markets and dented the greenback's safe-haven appeal. What does that signal? The Nikkei, meanwhile, closed at a fresh 33-year high on Monday. How has the Japanese yen reacted to this? Hongbin Jeong speaks to Peter Chia, Senior FX Strategist at UOB, to find out more. Highlights:  01:06 - US dollar nudges lower after tentative deal - what does that signal? 03:07 - Will a weaker dollar tip some emerging economies into debt or political crises? 03:59 - Could dollar instability also benefit rivals such as China? 05:14 - How has the Japanese yen reacted to the Nikkei hitting fresh 33-year high? 07:04 - Will the nature of the debt ceiling deal that’s expected to be signed on Wednesday impact Forex markets?

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.

Asian high-yield bonds were one of the most downtrodden sectors from 2022, but they’ve surged by around 30 per cent since November 2022 earlier this year. So what's the outlook for the Asian credit market for the remainder of 2023? And what competitive edge do Asian corporate bonds hold that make them more attractive? On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Henry Loh, Head of Asian Credit at abrdn, to find out more. 

Nvidia is within touching distance of $1 trillion market value — poised to become only the ninth firm ever to hit that milestone — as the artificial intelligence frenzy boosts demand for processors that can accelerate computing. The chipmaker would become the fifth publicly traded U.S. company to be currently worth $1 trillion. Apple created the club in 2018, while Microsoft, Alphabet and Amazon also now hold the distinction. On Market Wrap, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Geoff Howie, Strategist at the SGX, to dissect Nvidia's stock surge, other key market movers, Singapore's latest inflation and GDP numbers, and US debt ceiling talks.

China has been boasting strong economic growth since the removal of its Zero Covid policy. But concerns remain among investors over the strength of China’s economic recovery, as the combination of strong post-reopening economic data and sluggish stock-market returns proves perplexing. So is there room to grow for Chinese markets later in the year? And what are some of the investment trends when it comes to investing in the Chinese market?  On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Thomas Rupf, CIO Asia & Head of Trading Execution, VP Bank Ltd Singapore Branch to find out more. 

Singapore aims to reach net zero by 2050. And, according to some industry players - more needs to be done to reach climate goals. A survey of members of the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore revealed that more than two thirds (72%) of respondents believe that Singapore isn’t making fast enough progress on its net zero targets. In this week's episode of Eco Money, Rachel Kelly speaks to Kavita Gandhi, Executive Director, SEAS to find out more.