Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Sweat, strategy, and sheer willpower. The 10-year wait is over as the Singapore Vandas were crowned Asian Netball Champions earlier this week. And Sports Minutes is in conversation with two members of the winning team - as co-captain Toh Kai Wei and Tan Yi Jie unpack the intense journey to reclaiming the continental crown! READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/singapore-beat-sri-lanka-67-64-in-overtime-to-regain-asian-netball-crown-after-10-year-wait Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! raushan@sph.com.sg

Singapore stocks began the morning trading in the negative territory, mirroring overnight losses in the global markets. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) fell 0.8 per cent to 3,530.16 points after 117.9 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Singtel, after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission filed court proceedings against Singtel’s subsidiary Optus Mobile over allegations of inappropriate sales conduct.  Elsewhere, from more on results out of tech behemoths Amazon and Apple, to how key levels to watch for US equities this month – more corporate and international headlines remain in focus. On Market View, Money Matters' finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Chong Ser Jing, Co-founder and Portfolio Manager, Compounder Fund.

Wall Street executives, political gamblers and cryptocurrency traders are piling up their bets on who will take over the White House. According to a new survey, a majority of millionaire investors said they plan to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris, even though they give former President Donald Trump a better grade on the economy. Why? And how are wealthy investors readjusting their portfolios ahead of the elections?  On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Gautam Chadda, Head of Investment and Portfolio Advisory (Singapore) at RBC Wealth Management Asia, to find out more. 

Picogrid is a defence technology company that is building a platform to connect fragmented defence systems, connecting various third-party sensors, cameras, and autonomous systems together to create a ready-made ecosystem of capabilities.  Why is Picogrid the "right business” for the defence sector at the moment? And hat role do you see Picogrid playing in enhancing national security and defence readiness? On The Right Business, Hongbin Jeong speaks to the CEO and co-founder of Picogrid, Zane Mountcastle, to find out more.

In today’s edition of Market View, we talk about the current state of financial markets and opportunities for the fintech industry ahead of the Singapore FinTech Festival, which is slated to run from 6 to 8 November.  Attended by over 66,000 participants from 150 countries in 2023, SFF 2024, will feature over 950 speakers across 7 stages. They range from global central bankers, regulators, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, innovators and more.  Given the ongoing artificial intelligence boom, this year’s event would examine the transformative potential of AI and quantum computing in revolutionising financial services and delivering sustainable and inclusive economic growth. It will also turn the spotlight on the role of FinTech in spearheading sustainable finance.  James Cheo, Chief Investment Officer, Southeast Asia and India at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth, as well as Shadab Taiyabi, President of Singapore FinTech Association joined The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian in the studio to give a taster of Singapore’s fintech story, the current market situation, how investors should invest in fintech, and what to watch at SFF 2024. 

Hindsight is often 20/20. But if both Tanjong Pagar United and Manchester United could go back in time, should they still have made their respective managerial appointments? In the Singapore Premier League, Hyrizan Jufri arrived promising "attacking football". Yet the Jaguars have lost 4 in 4 under his tutelage, conceding 22 and scoring just 3. Over in England, the Red Devils parted company with the long-suffering ten Hag as results became untenable. Deepanraj Ganesan joins Zia-ul Raushan to run the rule on Sports Minutes. Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! raushan@sph.com.sg

Earlier this month, a fan had edited the poster of the new Wicked movie to make it look more like the original poster for the popular Broadway musical show of the same name. But the star of the new Wicked movie Cynthia Erivo hit back, saying it’s the most offensive thing she’s ever seen. Was her reaction valid? Or was it an overreaction? Hongbin Jeong spills the tea. 

Did you know that a ChatGPT query takes up nearly 10 times the amount of electricity needed to run a Google search on average?  That’s right. And what that means is that the current boom in artificial intelligence we’re seeing is driving up a significant increase in data centre workload and demand for data centre capacity. For one thing, the International Data Corporation or IDC expects the surging demand for AI workloads to drive up AI data centre capacity at a projected compound annual growth rate of 40.5% from 2024 through 2027.    But how has that filtered down to data centre operators and related REITs? That’s what we are going to find out from our guest for today, Digital Core REIT.  Listed on the mainboard of the SGX in 2021, Digital Core Reit is said to be the only pure-play data centre Singapore REIT sponsored by data centre owner and operator Digital Realty.  The REIT has a principal investment strategy of investing in a diversified portfolio of stabilised income-producing real estate assets located globally which are used primarily for data centre purposes, as well as assets necessary to support the digital economy. Currently, the REIT holds US$1.4B in assets under management and 10 data centres in its portfolio. But how will this change amid the boom in AI, and how far will Southeast Asia be a bright spot for the firm, with big techs pouring investments into the region to build data centres?  Also – how does Digital Core REIT assess Singapore as a destination to host data centres? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to John Stewart, CEO, Digital Core REIT. 

Are you ready to unleash your inner creative monster? SCURO is Singapore’s first-ever horror-themed art jamming studio, tucked away in Pasir Ris. Unlike typical art spaces, SCURO embraces the eerie and macabre, inviting guests to dive into their dark side and create an immersive, spine-chilling environment. On Culture Club, Hongbin Jeong sits down with Merida, Founder, SCURO, to dig into the inspirations, thrills, and unique experiences that make this chilling studio one of a kind.

On What’s Trending today, experts say broccoli may give your body a boost, keeping your heart and bones healthy, and reducing the risk of cancer. Also trending, Mount Fuji without a snowcap - the latest in 130 years.