The Afternoon Update with Lynlee Foo

The Federal Reserve has raised its target interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point, yet policy makers have continued to promise “ongoing increases” in borrowing costs. But despite another warning that rate hikes are here to stay for longer - investors took heart from the chair’s remarks acknowledging that price pressures have started to ease. On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speak to Vishnu Varathan, Head of Economics & Strategy, Asia at Mizuho Bank on how markets have reacted after this decision and what we can make of Jerome Powell’s speech. 

The World Gold Council has just launched their flagship quarterly Gold Demand Trends report for Q4 2022 and the full year of 2022- which discusses gold demand and supply in the past year and an outlook for 2023. According to the latest report, 2022 was the strongest year for gold demand since 2011, rising 18% year-on-year. On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Andrew Naylor, Regional CEO (ex-China) & Public Policy at the World Gold Council to find out more. Highlights:  01:00 - What led to the surge in gold demand in 2022?  02:45 - Which countries saw a boost in gold demand last year?  04:02 - Was there strong demand for gold in Singapore?  05:14 - What does Singapore's demand for gold tell us about the economy? 06:16 - What were some trends seen from retail investors? 08:00 - What's the outlook for gold demand in the year ahead? 

The dollar is eyeing a fourth monthly loss as investors expect a peak in US interest rates could swing into view as soon as this week's Federal Reserve meeting. The currency market is subdued in the lead-up to Wednesday's Fed rate decision, though cautiousness across financial markets lifted the greenback by a fraction. On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Philip Wee, Senior Currency Economist at DBS to find out where the US dollar is headed. 

The Franklin Templeton Institute has released a whitepaper that explores issues stemming from food security. But what kind of impact will this have on financial markets when addressing potential solutions?  On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Christy Tan, Investment Strategist at Franklin Templeton Institute to find out why it’s important to note food security issues when it comes to investing.

For a market wrap for the week, Geoff Howie, Market Strategists from the SGX joins Rachel Kelly and Hongbin Jeong to discuss how the STI has performed this past week; Singapore's sticky inflation data; what we can expect from the MAS policy meeting in April; and China's reopening impact on markets.

Geopolitical tensions, global supply chain challenges, and spiralling inflation led to global market volatility for the majority of 2022. As we look towards the rest of the year, what are some of the lessons we can draw from the past year, which will help us to optimise our investment portfolios in the year ahead? On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Wilfred Lim, Head of Strategy, Investment Solutions at PhillipCapital to find out some of the key lessons we can draw from 2022. 

Sustainability matters concerning asset managers - including Singapore real estate investment trusts - have become increasingly important. But what does this mean to their portfolios? And what costs are involved? Rachel Kelly and Hongbin Jeong speak to  Wong Hong Wei, and Andrew Wong -  Credit Research Analysts, OCBC Bank to find out. 

Have you ever wondered what happens to unsold bread? In the past it would have contributed to overall food waste here in Singapore - and it may surprise you to know that food waste accounts for 12% of waste in Singapore.  BUT as food prices continue to rise and with food security a key issue - is this waste necessary? Rachel Kelly spoke to Robin Lee, CEO of Food from the Heart to find out more about their initiatives.

Some of the biggest global banks are going short the Singapore dollar. In fact, some are betting that the island’s currency will weaken against the Malaysian ringgit, the Thai baht, and even the Japanese yen. So is the Singdollar the new short this year? On Money in the Market, Jeff Ng, Senior Currency Analyst, MUFG to tell us more.

China's commodity trade data last showed prices and volumes weren't driven by the world's biggest buyer of natural resources. So the question now is - will 2023 see China reasserting its dominance as the main driver of commodity markets? On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Priyanka Sachdeva, Market Analyst at Phillip Nova, to find out how China’s reopening is giving a boost to commodity markets.