Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

Singapore stocks began trading in negative territory this morning after global markets ended on a muted note, and ended the day in the red as well. Amongst the stocks to watch, Seatrium broke a multi-year low to hit a fresh low of $1.37. So what’s continuously driving Seatrium shares? Meanwhile, on the global front,President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump faced off in their first 2024 debate late Thursday in the US. So how are markets reacting to this first debate. Who won? Hongbin Jeong speaks to Sunny Soh, Lead Technical Analyst (Capital Markets & Investor Education), SIAS, to find out more on the latest market movement for the day. 

On What's Trending, Japanese scientists have developed an equivalent to living skin that can be attached to robotic surfaces to flash a realistic smile. The University of Tokyo researchers used a "skin-forming cell-laden gel" to create a robot covered with living skin. Also, big TV sales have seen a boost in the UK and Nordics due to the European Championship games.

Will the market still charge millions of dollars for this treatment down the line?  One patient who took part in trials said he felt “cured” by the transformational one-off infusion which gave him a “new lease of life”. 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. 

Singapore shares were trading lower at the opening bell today after global equities ended mixed overnight. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) fell 0.1 per cent to 3,327.95 points after 42.9 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have ValueMax, after associates of the Singapore-listed pawnbroker launched an initial public offering for Well Chip to raise RM172.5 million (S$49.6 million) on Bursa Malaysia. Elsewhere, from more on how Asian currencies slumped to its lowest since 2022 on the strength of the US dollar, to expectations on US GDP numbers and the US  Presidential debate – more international headlines remain in focus. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director Azure Capital.

Unnie From Seoul is a pioneering content creator dedicated to uncovering and sharing Muslim-friendly dining options in Korea. With a passion for Korean culture and a deep understanding of halal dietary requirements, she has created a unique platform that helps Muslim travelers fully immerse themselves in the rich culinary tapestry of Korea. On K-WAVE, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Unnie from Seoul, to find out where you can get your next halal meal in Korea.

Retailing is the action of selling goods and services to consumers piecemeal rather than to businesses in bulk.  When we think of retailers, we often think of the likes of clothing retailers and electronic retailers. But instead of selling consumer goods, our guest for today sells the electricity we use to power our homes and electronics.  Established back in 2001 under its former name Seraya Energy, our guest for today is Geneco, a subsidiary of YTL PowerSeraya, one of Singapore’s first and largest electricity generators, with a licensed generating capacity of 3,100MW.  The firm used to serve just commercial and industrial customers back in the days until further liberalisation of the Singapore electricity market kicked in in 2018.  It was then that the company re-established itself as Geneco and expanded its scope to also cater to households and small and medium sized enterprises. Since then, the firm’s retail business grew further over the years, powering over 165,000 households in the lion city as of 2024.  But why are we talking to Geneco you might ask? Well, the Singapore electricity retail market is an interesting one to look at. It used to be rather vibrant back in 2018, with customers able to choose their electricity provider from a list of over 20 retailers.  Just a number of years later, a number of players including Singapore’s largest independent electricity retailer iSwitch left the industry due to cut throat competition, volatility in wholesale electricity prices, not to mention the energy crisis fuelled by the Russia-Ukraine war.  So what was the secret sauce that allowed Geneco to continue growing, on top of remaining in business?  Speaking of energy crisis, Geneco had said in April 2023 that electricity bill that year could be cheaper as global energy prices stabilise, but how far has that played out, and what is the situation like right now with demand for electricity expected to grow as the economy revs back to life from the pandemic? And what will that mean for Geneco ultimately when it filters through to its top and bottom lines?  On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Lim Han Kwang, CEO, Geneco, Group Head (Retail, Regulation and Renewables) YTL PowerSeraya Ltd.

In this month's edition of The Peak Singapore, Editor-in-Chief Zat Asthasat down with homegrown titans of the tech industry to find out about their enterprising achievements. From AI baristas to robots which require no coding, the growing list of tech entrepreneurs from Singapore are making influential waves with their impactful innovations and contributions to technology. But today, we want to know: What does the business of robotics look like?  Zat Astha, Editor-In-Chief at The Peak tells us more on this month's The Peak Special on R.I.C.H. 

Michelin unveiled the full selection of the Michelin Guide Singapore 2024 on June 25. The newly released Guide recommends a total of 283 locations – with 3 three Michelin Stars, 6 two MICHELIN Stars, 42 one Michelin Star, 81 Bib Gourmand and 151 Michelin Selected venues. This year’s selection also presents the second Michelin Green Star in Singapore. So, who gained, retained, or lost stars this year? Where should you book your next dinner reservation? On this month's The Peak Special on Culture Club, Kenneth Goh, Digital Editor, The Peak Singapore reveals it all.

On What's Trending, Vienna has been crowned the most liveable city in the world for the third consecutive year, according to the annual Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Also, a Maryland man's lost dog, Luna, was found 1,000 miles from his Mardela Springs home after being spotted wandering in a Walmart parking lot. After being scanned for a microchip, Luna was found and reunited with its owner.

Midnight Society terminates relationship with Dr. Disrespect after allegations unsurface. Roshan Gidwani, Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian spill the tea!