The Afternoon Update with Lynlee Foo

The rise of digital money has spearheaded an array of sustainable financing initiatives. By leveraging technological ecosystems, such as artificial intelligence, mobile payment platforms, machine learning and digital tokens, businesses are better equipped for sustainable and inclusive growth moving forward. So - can embedded finance  foster eco-conscious behaviours? Rachel Kelly speaks to Shailesh Naik, CEO of MatchMove to find out.

On Money in the Market, Alvin Liew, Senior Economist at UOB joins us to talk about several data releases from the US and Japan; with focus on Japan's household spending and what it says about the country's economy; whether the yen will continue to fall; last week's US jobs report; and whether the US is in a recession or headed to one. 

Presenter Rachel Kelly speaks toNicholas Ionides, Vice President of Communications at Marina Bay Sandsto find out more about the The Sands for Singapore Charity Festival. Kicking off on 8 September with a special edition of Spectra, Marina Bay Sands’ light and water show, the three-day charity extravaganza will transform the Event Plaza into a bustling Giving Marketplace for non-profit organisations, social enterprises, and small local businesses to raise funds for charity.

Inflation in ASEAN countries has pushed central banks in the region to prioritise economic recovery over monetary tightening. But they will step up efforts to contain price appreciation as inflationary pressure grows. A recent report by Moody’s Investors Service says that such rises in interest rates will lead to a widening of banks' net interest margins. However, the report also highlights that asset risks for banks will also increase when interest rates rise. On Money in the Market, Rebecca Tan, VP – Senior Analyst at Moody’s Investors Service, joins us to tell us more about the latest report. 

In March 2020, theatres had to close due to the pandemic, and remained shut for a further six months. Theatre companies had to adapt and pivot to new ways of working. On The View, Melissa Hyak speaks to Nathalie Ribette, Artistic and Executive director, Sing'theatre to talk about what lasting impact the pandemic has had on business practices. 

On Money in the Market, Geoff Howie, Market Strategist at the SGX joins us to give a market wrap for the week; with focus on the STI's performance; liquor giant Emperador's addition to the benchmark from Sep 19; Singapore's GDP forecast and PMI expectations; as well as what to look out for for the release of US jobs report later this evening. 

By 2045, temperatures in Singapore could hit 40 deg C on some days due to a warming planet. - the hottest we’ve experienced this year is 36.7 or 36.8 degrees Celsius. And with the heat turning up - the use of cooling systems will only increase. But - systems such as air conditioning use a large amount of energy - it hurts the environment, and with energy prices the way they are now, it also burns a hole in the pocket. On Sustainable Singapore, Melissa Hyak speaks to Swati Mandloi, Market Transformation Manager at WWF-Singapore to find out how to balance cooling and reaching energy consumption targets. 01:44: Where does Singapore stand in the use of cooling systems? 02:39: Is there such a thing as a clean cooling system?  06:10: What are clean cooling interventions? 08:07: What kind of infrastructure changes are needed to implement more sustainable cooling systems?

Singapore’s first digital bank, Trust Bank, is officially in business! Backed by Standard Chartered and Fairprice Group, Trust Bank launched with savings accounts and credit card offerings for retail customers. On Money in the Market, Finance Producer Hongbin Jeong speaks to Trust Bank’s CEO Dwaipayan Sadhu to find out more about this new digital bank and what it aims to offer to consumers. 

More than 1 in 10 people worldwide suffer from some form of lower back pain. And the number is only set to increase with an ageing and growing population. On Your Health, Melissa Hyak speaks to Dr Colum Nolan, Senior Consultant and Neurosurgeon from Oxford Spine to find out what you can do to prevent lower back pain.

On Money in the Market, Hongbin Jeong is joined by Philip Wee, Senior Currency Economist at DBS Bank to discuss the current currency market amid markets negatively affected by US Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s speech last Friday, where he warned there would be no respite from interest rate hikes. With expectations of further rate hikes in the US, the US dollar strengthened to a fresh 20 year high earlier this week. Philip gives more details on the effect of the US dollar on the SingDollar, the Japanese yen, the euro, and the Chinese yuan.