Breakfast with Ryan Huang, Emaad Akhtar and Audrey Siek

Accountants have long been an indispensable fixture in the world of business, but their roles are evolving. Today's accountants are tasked with far more than just bookkeeping or managing payrolls. The role has expanded to encompass financial forensics, strategic insight and even risk advisory, among others.  As part of efforts to nurture a diverse accountancy talent landscape, the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants has introduced the Global Talent Programme which runs yearly. Curated specially for undergraduates, this one-week programme is a unique opportunity for young minds to engage in cross-cultural exchanges, share knowledge and network, and contribute to the creation of a diverse and inclusive accountancy talent pool. On this episode of Advancing Accountancy, we feature: - Soh Suat Lay, Divisional Director for Engagement and Communications at  Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA)  - Students who participated in the inaugural installation of the programme: Mthawelanga Agbiriogu, a 3rd Year Financial Accounting student from University of Cape Town in South Africa Vladislav Virtonen, a 3rd Year Finance and Economics student from Minerva University, who’s originally from Estonia. He was selected as one of Europe's most promising entrepreneurs under 20 years old (20 under 20 by Wise) and awarded as one of the 30 under 30 by the Estonian Business School 3 years ago.  More details on the programme can be found here: https://www.isca.org.sg/GTP Presented by: Audrey Siek Produced & Edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

The importance of having friends to help one navigate the journey of life cannot be emphasized enough.  One particular study suggests that friendship accounts for almost 60 percent of the difference in happiness between individuals, no matter how introverted or extroverted they are. But there is a key distinction to be made between what some experts term "deal" versus "real" friends. Listen in to this Breakfast Bites episode to learn more! Presented by Emaad Akhtar, Ryan Huang & Audrey Siek  Produced and Edited by Emaad Akhtar Music and photo credits: Pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

Koh Wee Lih, CEO, Keppel REIT Management, discusses the bright spots in the first half of the year including the growth in rental reversions across the portfolio, as well as headwinds that include the impact of refinancing in a higher rate environment leading to higher borrowing costs. Produced/Presented: Ryan Huang

The Dow Jones Industrial Average just post its worst day in nearly two years, as worries over the health of the US economy sparked a global market sell-off. Both the blue-chip Dow and S&P 500 registered their biggest daily losses since September 2022.  The latest moves come as fears of a US recession sparked a global market meltdown, following a disappointing July jobs report. Michele Schneider, Chief Strategist at MarketGauge Group shares her insights on all the key movements in the US markets right now, including how concerned she is about the latest dips, whether investors should be looking at reducing their exposure and how best to navigate the turbulence, why energy and oil are on her radar, as well as the bitcoin sell-off Presented by: Ryan Huang Produced & Edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Assistant Producer: Simone Chuah Photo credits: Andrew Kelly/Reuters

Social media has also been abuzz with the increasing popularity of coconut trees, after a video showing Democratic Party’s presumptive candidate for the US Presidential Election Kamala Harris telling a story about her mother during a White House event in 2023, went viral.  A slew of memes and hashtags like #kamalaisbrat and #bratsummer have also taken the internet by storm! That prompted Kamala Harris to overhaul her campaign's online presence by embracing the social media trend inspired by pop star Charli XCX's Brat album cover. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee has scattered references to the album across her campaign's account, renaming her profile Kamala HQ. On this episode of Morning Shot, we discuss whether these social media trends will help with Harris’ campaign with Melinda Jackson, Political Science Professor and Dean of Undergraduate Education at San Jose State University. Presented by: Emaad Akhtar & Audrey Siek Produced & Edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Assistant Producer: Simone Chuah Photo credits: The Tennessean

Can Singapore meet its “30 by 30” food sustainability goal? With the passing of the five-year mark since that goal was set - this question has been cast into the spotlight, following a series of delays, failures or re-configurations of high-tech farms of late. It hasn’t been easy for local producers, with indoor vegetable farm I.F.F.I shutting down, and VertiVegies abandoning plans to build a mega vertical vegetable farm - both of which had been awarded funding under the government’s 30 by 30 express grant. Other agri-food casualties include aquaculture, with the Barramundi Group ceasing sea bass farming, and novel protein, in particular with the cultivated meat industry seemingly in limbo. Despite those shake-ups, farmers and relevant stakeholders are still hard at work in pushing the little red dot towards its goal of producing 30% of its nutritional needs locally by 2030. On this episode of Climate Connections, we explore the issue with a range of stakeholders, including:  - Ma Chin Chew, CEO of N&N Agriculture, a local egg farm that has successfully tapped on technology to scale up its productions, and improve its yield and sustainability.  - Ken Cheong, CEO of Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation (SAFEF), who dives into consumer demand trends, and how SAFEF is working hand-in-hand with local farmers to get their produce on the shelves and stay competitive. - Andy Chang, Director, Fresh and Frozen, FairPrice Group, who sheds light on what drives consumer choices in today's context, and what local farmers need in order to stay ahead of the game from a retail perspective. Special thanks to the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Voiced by: Audrey Siek Photo credits: SFA website Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

Charu Chanana, Head of FX Strategy and Global Market Strategist at Saxo discusses how the market narrative has turned with the latest US jobs data in the form of a weaker than expected set of non-farm payrolls. She examines how that's raising questions about a recession, as well as the implications for investors. Produced/Presented: Ryan Huang 

Traffic lights - we all have a love-hate relationship with our tri-coloured friends. Traffic light systems were invented with the objective of helping to regulate congestion - and ultimately improve safety - on the world's roads. But in some countries, that hasn't always been the case. Tune in to Breakfast Bites on International Traffic Light Day to find out more! Presented by Emaad Akhtar, Ryan Huang & Audrey Siek  Produced and Edited by Emaad Akhtar Music and photo credits: Pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

Jakarta has officially launched a new long-term visa, which offers residency to wealthy investors, retirees and professionals with desired talents and skills. The five-year "Golden Visa" requires individual investors to set up a company worth US$2.5 million, while a 10-year visa requires a US$5 million investment. Following a trial last year, about 300 golden visas have been given out so far, with most of the applicants from China, the United States, Russia, Taiwan and Britain.  The programme is aimed at building investor confidence against possible headwinds, especially with some holding back while Southeast Asia’s largest economy enters a leadership transition period in the next few months. But experts have warned that such a programme could lead to risks like money laundering and housing inflation even as it brings in foreign investment and contributions that will inspire confidence in the country’s business and financial landscape. On this episode of Morning shot, Doris Liew, Economist and Assistant Research Manager at The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs shares her thoughts on whether this golden visa gamble will hit or miss the mark.  Presented by: Emaad Akhtar  Produced & Edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Assistant Producer: Simone Chuah Photo credits: Caregivers Alliance 

Investors are seeking for shelter overnight, and it seems that there is little place to hide. We have a set of weaker-than-expected US economic data giving rise to hard landing fears. Plus, there was a sell-off in megacap tech stocks overnight, as treasury yields weaken across the board. Yeap Junrong spoke to Francyne Mu, Portfolio Manager and Research Analyst, Franklin Equity Group. Presented by Yeap Junrong Edited by Audrey Siek