Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

In recent years, Singapore has seen a rise in the prevalence of sham marriages, where individuals enter into marriages for fraudulent purposes. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority reported that between January and September in 2024, there were 32 cases of marriage of convenience, up from four cases during the same period in 2023. Will this growing trend in sham marriages lead to social problems in the future? What more can we do to protect the integrity of marriage as a legal institution in the country? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Joleen Wong, Family & Divorce Lawyer and Partner at I.R.B. Law to find out more. 

Singapore shares started trading in negative territory today, mirroring overnight losses in European markets. The Straits Times Index (STI) opened 0.5 per cent lower at 3,869.13 points after 25.2 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Suntec Real Estate Investment Trust, after property tycoon Gordon Tang and his wife Celine have raised their mandatory conditional cash offer to acquire all units of the Reit to S$1.19 apiece.  Elsewhere, from more on China’s consumer prices stalling in 2024 on feeble demand, to minutes from the Federal Reserve’s December meeting, more international headlines remain in focus.  Also on deck – a clarification by Apple on the data collected by its Siri voice assistant.   On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments of the day.

President-elect Donald Trump’s market honeymoon may just be over.  US markets rallied sharply to close at record highs after Trump won the presidential election back in November in a stunning comeback four years after being voted out of the White House. But that’s already turned sour. More than half of the stock market's post-Trump-election rally has been erased towards the end of the year.  What does this mean for the Trump Trade? Should you ditch it?  On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Gary Dugan, CEO of The Global CIO Office, to find out more.   

In 2024, Singapore made significant strides in EV adoption, outpacing many of its regional counterparts. According to a report by Bloomberg, Singapore leads Southeast Asia in EV market penetration, with electric vehicles making up nearly 20% of all new car registrations. This shift comes amid government initiatives to encourage sustainable mobility, but a question lingers: is progress as smooth as it appears? This is where Watt steps in with innovative solutions. Watt has developed a unique model to bridge these gaps, making EV charging accessible without the financial burden on property management.  On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Ivan Quek, Chief Commercial Officer and Co-founder, Novowatt to find out more.   

It’s a deep dive into the private equity landscape as we speak to an investment firm that’s indirectly owned by Temasek Holdings.  Set up in 2015, our guest Azalea Investment Management defines itself as being in the business of PE investments, with a focus on the development and innovation of new investment platforms and products.  The firm said its goal is to bring private assets to a wider investor base through a phased approach, while educating the investing public at the same time. Azalea Investment Management achieves this through two investment programmes or platforms, (1) the Altrium programme as well as the (2) Astrea Platform.  Under the Altrium programme, accredited investors can co-invest with Azalea and access strong performing private equity fund managers globally, but with lower barriers to entry.  The Astrea Platform, on the other hand, is a series of investment products developed based on diversified portfolios of PE funds. The platform is said to target long-term minded investors including Singapore retail investors looking to co-invest in private equity with the asset managers.  But why are we speaking to Azalea Investment Management you might ask? Well the firm had closed a number of funds of late. In July 2024, the firm’s Astrea 8 PE bonds closed 2.8 times subscribed at over S$1 billion, with bonds distributed to diversified investors across institutions such as endowments, pensions and insurance companies as well as accredited investors. More recently, it had in October closed two funds at over US$480 million as a whole, higher than the US$400 million target for both funds combined.   But how does the firm assess the outlook for private markets in 2025 and what is next for its product line up?  On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Chue En Yaw, Chief Investment Officer, Azalea Investment Management.

After many years of delays, Malaysia and Singapore have signed a deal to establish the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). This comes as the two nations seek to develop a new economic growth area centered on one of the busiest land crossings in the world. Modelled after China’s Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, the JS-SEZ will provide tax breaks and ease the transit of goods and people between Johor and Singapore, which are separated by a 1km causeway. The target of this agreement is to hit 100 projects in the first 10 years, creating 20,000 skilled jobs for people on both sides of the Causeway. Is this an achievable target? What benefits will this SEZ bring to both nations?  On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Sumit Agarwal, Low Tuck Kwong Distinguished Professor of Finance at the Business School and a Professor of Economics and Real Estate at the National University of Singapore to find out.   

Singapore shares started trading in positive territory this morning, even as global markets ended the previous day mixed. The Straits Times Index (STI) opened 0.2 per cent higher at 3,836.94 points after 28.1 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Centurion, after the accommodation assets operator said yesterday that it is exploring the establishment of a real estate investment trust (Reit) comprising some of its workers and student accommodation assets.  Elsewhere, from Micron investing US$7 billion in Woodlands advanced packaging site, to Samsung Q4 profit outlook missing estimates by a large margin, more corporate and international headlines remain in focus.   Also on deck – big techs rolling out the red carpet for US president-elect Donald Trump and Amazon Web Services’ plan to invest US$11 billion in Georgia. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Thilan Wickramasinghe, Head of Equity Research, Maybank Securities.

Joke crypto Fartcoin started as a parody, and now it is on a tear. Fartcoin’s market cap of nearly $800 million now exceeds that of several well-known brands. The memecoin has even surpassed Dogecoin’s all-time highs and blown fellow memecoin Shiba Inu completely out of the water. What exactly is Fartcoin, and why is it surging?  On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Carly Reilly, Co-host of the Moniify Daily Show, Moniify to find out more.   

Having spent close to 5-years with BG Tampines Rovers, scoring 110 goals in 138 appearances to become the club's ALL-TIME top scorer - Boris Kopitovic sent shockwaves through the fraternity when news broke of his departure to Bali United. So how and why did this mid-season move materialise, what are his ambitions in Indonesia, and how close was he to attaining PR status in Singapore? Boris himself speaks to Sports Minutes to tell us more. READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/goal-machine-boris-kopitovic-leaves-bg-tampines-rovers-in-surprise-move Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg

TRST01, founded in 2019, began with food traceability, offering insights into a product’s journey from farm to fork. Its mission has since evolved to empower businesses and individuals to reduce their carbon footprint and drive a sustainable future. Using blockchain-powered tools, TRST01 enhances supply chain transparency, helps businesses meet ESG compliance, and creates measurable impact for farmers, brands, and consumers. Active in nine markets, its solutions boost farmer incomes, reduce compliance costs, and optimize operations for brands like OVO Farm. On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Manoj Vembu, Director of TRST01 to share more.   Presented by: Hongbin Jeong Produced and Edited by: Alexandra Parada (alexparada@sph.com.sg) Want to get featured on our show? Drop me an email today!