Breakfast with Ryan Huang, Emaad Akhtar and Audrey Siek

Darren Ng, Deloitte Singapore Transaction Advisory Services Partner, discusses how the return of REIT listings could spell brighter days ahead for Singapore, which only saw 1 IPO in the first half of the year. However, intense competition from regional bourses will keep regulators on their toes in finding new ways to attract listings. Produced/Presented: Ryan Huang 

Chris Weston, Head Of Research at Pepperstone shares his insights on the turnaround following the worst dip in years, how he is approaching the markets in recent times given the volatility, movements in the semiconductor and high-tech space, as well as the Yen. Presented by: Ryan Huang Produced & Edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Assistant Producer: Simone Chuah Photo credits: AP Photo/ Richard Drew

Birthdays mean the world to children - a means to celebrate with friends, eat lots of cake and partake in fun activities. While this may still be the case for some in adulthood, there is no doubt that age gives us renewed perspective on birthdays as an occasion to spend precious time with and be grateful for the presence of those most near and dear to us. Irrespective of where on the life spectrum you fall, birthday remain special days. So special, in fact, that many cultures around the world have their own unique rituals. Emaad, Ryan and Audrey share what some of these are, and also reveal the most popular birthday month (in the United States at least!) Presented by Emaad Akhtar, Ryan Huang & Audrey Siek  Produced and Edited by Emaad Akhtar Music and photo credits: Pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

Just hours after the much anticipated decision was made public, US Vice President Kamala Harris held a maiden rally together with her newly announced running mate, Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, to what was an energetic Democratic crowd in Philadelphia. This ends Harris' two-week sprint to vet, interview and choose a candidate to go against Republican nominee and former president Donald Trump, and his choice for vice-president, Ohio senator JD Vance.  The presentation of the Harris-Walz ticket before an adoring estimated 12,000 strong crowd begins the next chapter in one of the most turbulent periods in modern American politics. On this episode of Morning Shot, Suzanne Chod, Professor of Political Science at North Central College and Charles Lipson, Professor Emeritus from the Department of Political Science at University of Chicago share their insights. Presented by: Emaad Akhtar  Produced & Edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Assistant Producer: Simone Chuah Photo credits: Erin Schaff/The New York Times

Every business and organisation grapples with waste disposal, and a significant portion of that waste is often wet – food scraps, coffee grounds, and other organic materials. Disposing of this wet waste can be expensive and environmentally unfriendly. But what if there was a way to turn this trash into a treasure trove of clean energy and valuable resources? This is the revolutionary approach championed by a Singapore-based company at the forefront of sustainable waste management. To explore their innovative technology that's transforming how we handle wet waste and paving the way for a more sustainable future, we speak with Tan Wee Han, CEO & Founder, Altent Renewables - a startup developing the most efficient solution to turn wet waste into clean fuels.  Presented by Audrey Siek This podcast is produced and edited by Anthea Ng (nganthea@sph.com.sg) She produces Mind Your Business, Biz-How-To and Breakfast Special segments on the Breakfast Show. Do contact her for topics: C-Suite, SME, Startups, Health-tech, Sustainability, Property, Intergenerational Family Business, Industry Outlook, Fintech and trending businesses in town.

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