Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Whether you're a startup, an established company, or an e-commerce platform, pricing your products or services effectively can significantly impact your bottom line. On That's How!, Hongbin Jeong and Roshan Gidwani delve into the strategic art of price optimization and how businesses can leverage it to drive higher revenue. So let's find out whether the price is right with the Head of Research from Milieu Insight: Nigel Lin.  Source: www.paddle.com/resources/pricing-optimization

It’s all about taking your beauty into your hands “because you’re worth it”.  Sounds familiar? You might have by now guessed who we’re speaking to for today’s discussion  – yes, it is indeed personal care and cosmetics giant L’Oreal.  On that note – did you know that the tagline was coined in 1971 by a 23-year-old female copywriter at a Manhattan ad agency McCann.  But taglines and branding aside, L’Oreal positions itself as a leader of the beauty tech world, with the century-old firm boasting a workforce of 86,000 employees across 150 countries,  The company has a portfolio of 36 international brands split into four divisions, namely (1) Luxe, (2) Consumer Products, (3) Dermatological Beauty and (4) Professional Products.  Some of the brands include Kiehl’s Lancome, Ralph Lauren, Biotherm, Shu Uemura, Urban Decay, L’Oreal Paris, Prada Beauty, Garnier and Maybelline New York.  At a global level, L’Oreal had in April this year reported a 9.4 per cent increase in Q1 sales on a like-for-like basis, exceeding analysts’ expectations.  Sales for the quarter came in at 11.24 billion euros or US$11.98 billion for the three months to March, easing concerns over an economic slowdown in the world's two largest economies of the US and China. But how far did Singapore contribute to the numbers? The latest showing also comes as the firm’s mass market range and dermatological products compensated for weakness in the luxury segment. But how far is this the case in Singapore, and what does the current economic uncertainty mean for the firm’s push into the luxury sector? Meanwhile, L’Oreal had announced a number of agreements with institutions in Singapore to develop youth-led innovation. But what can we expect on this front? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Tomas Hruska, Managing Director of L’Oréal Singapore and Malaysia.

Singapore shares started trading in negative territory today, mirroring overnight losses in the global market. The Straits Times Index (STI) opened 0.6 per cent lower at 3,441.94 points after 41.4 million securities worth S$48.3 million changed hands. In terms of companies to watch, we have Mapletree Logistics Trust. The trust’s distribution per unit (DPU) fell 8.9 per cent to S$0.02068 (2.068 Singapore cents) for its first quarter ended June.  Elsewhere, from the tech-fuelled sell-off on Wall Street overnight to SK Hynix posting its highest quarterly profit since 2018,  more international headlines remain in focus.  Also on deck – and what LVMH’s latest earnings mean for founder Bernard Arnault. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with Terence Wong, CEO, Azure Capital.

Lionel Lee is helping his foundation guide people worldwide to achieve financial inclusion, security, and independence.  He developed an approach to help people work, earn, save, spend, invest, and retire better through articles, podcasts, talks, and workshops. He shares his journey to FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) by 40. On R.I.C.H., Hongbin Jeong and Roshan Gidwani speak to Lionel Lee, Money Expert, The Better Foundation, to find out how. Presented by: Hongbin Jeong and Roshan Gidwani Produced and Edited by: Alexandra Parada (alexparada@sph.com.sg) and Simone Chua Want to get featured on our show? Drop me an email today!

Singapore’s PATH and Thailand’s 80/20 will come together for two evenings, presenting modern Thai and Asian dishes that represent their culinary journeys. With a shared dedication to spotlighting local and regional produce within their menus, Chef Marvas Ng of Path and Chef Thav Phouthavong of 80/20 celebrate their budding friendship and appreciation for locally sourced ingredients after an introduction by a mutual friend in Bangkok. On Culture Club, Hongbin Jeong and Roshan Gidwani speak with Marvas Ng, Executive Chef, PATH Singapore and Thav Phouthavong Head Chef, 80/20 to find out more about this gastronomic friendship that goes beyond borders. Presented by: Hongbin Jeong and Roshan Gidwani Feature produced and edited by: Nadiah Koh and Simone Chua Do you have a story to tell on The Evening Runway show? Contact nadkoh@sph.com.sg

On What's Trending, reality TV producers and contestants are facing a proliferation of unauthorised, AI-generated images and videos, as well as the need for comprehensive US federal laws to address deepfakes. The use of AI in social media photos and editing episodes has led to over-filtered images and people not looking real. AI tools like ChatGPT are being used to create new content from reality TV footage, allowing both well-intentioned fans and bad actors to manipulate clips and episodes. Also, Flamin' Hot Cheetos has become a controversial snack due to a dispute over its creation. Richard Montañez, who claims to have invented it, is suing PepsiCo and Frito-Lay, alleging they conducted a "smear campaign" against him. He claims they defamed him by making false statements to the Los Angeles Times, leading to a 2021 article that questioned his role in the product's creation. Montañez's lawsuit accuses PepsiCo of violating California's Unfair Competition Law and seeks damages, restitution, and an order to stop the companies from denying his involvement.

Elon Musk announces that robots will first be used by Tesla. Tesla will start making them to sell in 2026. But is this another ploy to keep investors interested in Tesla? Tesla profits have dropped and Musk doesn’t always deliver on time. Roshan Gidwani, Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian spill the tea! Get in touch with our anchors at  rgidwani@sph.com.sg, chuatt@sph.com.sg and hongbin@sph.com.sg.   

Does the name Firdaus Kassim ring a bell? I’m guessing it does, as he’s the head coach who guided Hougang United to their only piece of silverware to date - and that’s the Singapore Cup in 2022. Since then though, he’s departed the Cheetahs and turned blue! That’s right, he’s recently been appointed as the head coach of the Lion City Sailors U21 team. So what was it about the Sailors project that attracted him? And how hands on is Luka Lalić, the team’s technical director? What does he make of his departure from Hougang, and does he bear any grudges considering how it all ended? Firdaus sat down with Sports Minutes to answer this and more Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! raushan@sph.com.sg

Justin Bratton is a renowned TV host, actor, writer, and filmmaker in the Asian entertainment industry.  He has hosted various shows, including travel, comedy, and competition shows; acted in internationally acclaimed drama series and films; he is also known for hosting Asia's Got Talent and the new show Challenger Battleground on Discovery and HBO Asia.  On R.I.C.H., Hongbin Jeong and Roshan Gidwani speaks to Justin Bratton, TV host, Actor, Writer, Creation Circus Productions, to find out more how he achieved success in the entertainment industry. Presented by: Hongbin Jeong and Roshan Gidwani Produced and Edited by: Alexandra Parada (alexparada@sph.com.sg) Want to get featured on our show? Drop me an email today!

Singapore stocks opened weaker today following a mixed performance in the US and in Europe. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) was down 0.4 per cent to 3,448.59 points after 38.8 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Hutchison Port Holdings Trust after the port operator today reported a 66.6 per cent on-year increase in earnings for the first half of 2024 to HK$158.1 million (S$27.2 million).   Meanwhile, from the mixed batch of US earnings overnight, to the outlook for US policy post-election and impact on mega caps like Tesla, as well as implications on the king dollar, more international headlines remain in focus.  On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Kelvin Wong, Senior Analyst, OANDA.