The Evening Runway with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

The British pound tumbled to a record low yesterday, prompting speculation of an emergency response from the Bank of England. In The Straits Times’ The Big Story, Multimedia Correspondent Cheow Sue-Ann speaks with Saktiandi Supaat, Regional Head of Forex Research and Strategy at Maybank on the implications for consumers in Singapore.

Business transformation is on our agenda this week, and we start off by looking at how trade associations and chambers are helping firms in Singapore transform their businesses to become more sustainable and green.  On this note, the Singapore Business Federation has recently launched a new MAP initiative to chart out a pathway to guide companies through every stage of their decarbonisation journey.  But how does this work? To what extent will this help firms meet their green goals, and how can this help local firms improve their cash flows and their top and bottom lines? On Market View, Prime Time's Finance Presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Tan Chee Wee, Executive Director of Advocacy & Policy Division, Singapore Business Federation.

From replacing fossil fuels with more sustainable alternatives to going electric where possible, it seems like the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix is kicking climate action into higher gear.  In the Spotlight on Prime Time, Bharati Jagdish speaks with Roberto Grilli, General Manager, DZ Engineering SRL -who has helped to light up F1 Grand Prix races and will continue to do so for Singapore’s race this year as well, to find what has changed since the inaugural race in 2008 and their sustainability goals in the motorsports industry.

Sustainable manufacturing is not just about net zero. How can businesses support their long-term sustainability goals? The manufacturing sector will get more help to go green, with new SkillsFuture courses on sustainability by tech giant HP and SIM. Prime Time's Bharati Jagdish speaks with Ng Tian Chong, Managing Director of Greater Asia, HP to find out more. 

We’re going to be talking all about your cup of coffee or tea today! Traditionally, coffee's hand brewed by coffee brewers or baristas, but some enterprising firms are coming up with machines that can do the job.  They say this can standardise the taste of the coffee you drink, and reduce training costs for staff.  Investors seem to be liking this idea. Earlier, a company called Crown Digital - behind the robot barista Ella has received investments from transport operators to come up with robot barista stations at railway stops. And if you love Nanyang coffee, another company called Hawkermatic is now supplying over 50 restaurants, coffee shops and food courts with a machine that can produce customised Kopi and Teh in seconds.  But how much money is behind these companies really and how do industry players assess the market? On Market View, Prime Time's finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Chua Teck Hiong, Director of Hawkermatic. 

Two popular travel destinations, Japan and Hong Kong are both easing their border restrictions.  Japan will allow independent travellers, and will remove the cap on arrivals. Hong Kong will abolish mandatory hotel quarantine. Travellers will only be required to go through a period of home medical surveillance. In The Straits Times’ The Big Story, Multimedia correspondent Cheow Sue-Ann speaks with Japan Correspondent, Walter Sim, for more.

It’s been a busy week for central banks, and of course a week filled with anxiety for us investors. For one thing, the Fed has raised interest rates by yet another 75 basis points in a bid to prevent price increases from being entrenched in the US economy. But perhaps what’s more interesting is where the Fed see the US economy going and what it wants to do in the future. That’s especially so as the central bank moves into a restrictive monetary policy territory that could more seriously impact the economy. On Market View, Prime Time's finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked details from the latest FOMC meeting with Luke Browne, Senior Portfolio Manager and Head of Asset Allocation, Multi-Asset Solutions Team Asia, Manulife Investment Management. 

A tracker has revealed that “10 countries have fully launched a digital currency, with China’s pilot set to expand in 2023.” But last month, Japan’s central bank scrapped its CBDC plans due to lack of interest from the public. In the Spotlight on Prime Time, Bharati Jagdish speaks with Manuel Jaeger, Co-Founder and Head of Digital Assets at ADDX on this class of digital assets, and how it differs from cryptocurrencies.

The busiest diplomatic week of the year is underway as world leaders gather this week in New York to address the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The war in Ukraine, climate change and nuclear disarmament are likely to dominate speeches and discussions during the annual gathering at the UN headquarters. With Russian President Vladimir Putin announcing a partial mobilization and upping the ante in the war with Ukraine, how will the rest of the world respond? Will this bring the direct conflict between the West and Russia one step closer? What is likeliest outcome in Ukraine?  Prime Time's Bharati Jagdish speaks with Dr Samir Puri, author of a new book, 'Russia's Road to War With Ukraine' for a deep dive.