Breakfast with Ryan Huang, Emaad Akhtar and Audrey Siek

David Wong, Senior Investment Strategist for Equities, AllianceBernstein, shares how bullish he is around technology stocks, in view of recent rounds of layoffs, cost pressures, and elevated rates.

The US government could start running out of money within weeks unless it allows itself to borrow more. Coming against that backdrop, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned that failure to raise the US' debt ceiling could have dire consequences. Ahead of US President Joe Biden's meeting with congress leaders on the issue, Peter C Earle, Economist and Research Faculty at the American Institute for Economic Research takes a deep dive into technicalities behind the debt crisis. This podcast is produced and edited by Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)  Highlights: 01:05 - US debt has sometimes risen faster than the debt ceiling, so why the urgency to take action right now? 01:52 - The clock is ticking as we speak. What drastic consequences could we see if the debt ceiling isn’t lifted on time before the US breaches that ceiling? Is a recession on the horizon in your opinion?   03:02 - The US has actually modified the debt ceiling 78 times since 1960. Could you give us some sense of why it has grown so much?  03:51 - Since we're talking about history, I'm going to take you back to the very very beginning. How did this concept of the ceiling come about? 04:27 - Can hitting the debt ceiling now be avoided without Congressional action? 05:21 - Some economists are saying that the Treasury Department could potentially buy more time, like you said, by engaging in other unprecedented actions - such as selling large amounts of gold, minting a special large-denomination coin, issuing IOUs that could be sold and traded in private markets, or invoking the Fourteenth Amendment to override the statutory debt limit. Do you believe such options could help the situation, and if so, how much more time can that buy?  06:46 - We’re just a day ahead of President Biden’s meeting with congress leaders. How likely will we see a raise in the debt ceiling at this meeting? And if not, which other markets are likely to see ripple effects? 07:30 - Warren Buffett - whose conglomerate is viewed as a barometer of economic health in the US because of the range of businesses it owns - believes that we will skirt a recession. Which sectors are expected to be the hardest hit in the coming months? 08:34 - So we were talking about buying time earlier, what kind of negative consequences would that bring if they were to buy more time?

US equities eked out a small gain on Monday while Treasuries fell as investors weigh out what it would take to finally reverse the Federal Reserve’s path on rates after a survey of loan demand showed signs of credit tightening. Paul Wankmueller, CMT, Director of Business Development at Martin Fund Management shares his technical analysis on a surprising bounce in demand for some loan categories, oil prices decline and outlook on the backdrop of recent OPEC+ surprise cuts, drivers of the gold action, as well as expectations ahead of the US debt ceiling talks. Presenter: Ryan Huang Producer: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

On the Bigger Picture, Sean Cheong chats with Matthew Taylor, Senior Director, Strategic Communications, FTI Consulting, on the latest US Jobs Data; the VIX, which has moved parabolically in the last week; and what could happen if US Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen's warning about the debt ceiling, is to come to pass.

Britain's biggest ceremonial event in seven decades took place over the weekend. The King’s coronation was a visual spectacle involving 4,000 members of the armed forces from the UK and across the Commonwealth, as well as 19 bands and flag-bearers. Behind the centuries-old traditions, royal watcher and commentator Pauline Maclaran, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Research at the Royal Holloway University of London examinesthe relevance of modern monarchies, what to expect from King Charles III and how the monarchy can move forward amid criticisms of its colonial past. She’s also co-author of a book titled “Royal Fever: The British Monarchy in Consumer Culture”. This podcast is produced and edited by Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

Our C-Suite chat on Mind Your Business is with a female top brass in the tech industry, who worked in big companies like Google, Twitter and Samsung. But one day, a conversation with her daughter about what more can be done to save the planet, not only inspired her to start a community outreach programme, she also became an angel investor in sustainability-focused start-ups, as well as switched her career path to a climate tech venture. Lynlee Foo speaks with a fellow mom Maya Hari, Chief Executive Officer of Terrascope in this insightful conversation. This podcast is produced and edited by Anthea Ng (nganthea@sph.com.sg)

Bill Gates once said, "If your business is not on the internet, then your business will be out of business". In today's HOW TO series, we will delve deeper into one of the most essential social media and digital marketing skills - the search engine optimization or SEO, for businesses to increase their reach and revenue growth in today's digital age. Lynlee Foo speaks with Marcus Wong, Founder, Director of Growth, Neetclick, on some practical advice on getting started, what to look out for, and how to create an effective strategy. This podcast is produced and edited by Anthea Ng (nganthea@sph.com.sg)

Christopher Wong, Client Portfolio Strategist, South East Asia, Fidelity International, discusses why Asian markets have been relatively more resilient in the wake of the FOMC's latest rate hike, which saw US markets down for a fourth straight session. He also talks about the more attractive Asian currencies in the coming year.

If you are a digital merchant or startup looking for zero-equity funding to fuel your business growth, you might want to listen to this latest episode of Mind Your Business with Lynlee Foo and Ryan Huang. We are exploring innovative solutions for digital merchants and startups, speaking with Brian Tsang, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Choco Up - a global technology and financial services platform offering revenue-based financing and business growth solutions. He is joined by one of their clients, Olivia Yiong, Co-founder, Cheak, whom they have helped to generate an impressive six-figure revenue in their first year of business. This podcast is produced and edited by Anthea Ng (nganthea@sph.com.sg)

As economic activity picks up its pace post COVID-19, Singapore generated more domestic waste last year compared to 2021. But have you thought about where your waste ends up? For example, the old washing machine that you’re throwing out? Well, that may very well end up in the ocean!  Marine scientist Sam Shu Qin, Co-Founder of Our Singapore Reefs shares her personal experience diving to pick out all that trash from Singapore's sea bed and how they're affecting the marine environment. This podcast is produced and edited by Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)