The Afternoon Update with Lynlee Foo

Singapore’s office market is facing headwinds. Despite a 14.9% surge in Grade A office rents since early 2021, recent data shows a dip in activity, with office rental indices registering declines and vacancies rising to 7.8% due to new supply additions like IOI Central Boulevard Towers. Coupled with limited demand from tech sectors and the rise of flexible working arrangements, the market has plateaued, relying on smaller-scale demand from private wealth and professional services firms. How will the current conditions augur for Singapore’s office market in 2025? What will growth look like? Alan Cheong, Executive Director of Research & Consultancy at Savills shares his insights on Singapore’s office market outlook for 2025.

Low-code technology is accelerating application development, allowing even non-technical users to quickly build apps and automate business processes. Across industries, low-code platforms are gaining traction, enabling faster, more agile solutions without the need for extensive programming expertise. However, many enterprises still see them as tools for quick fixes or departmental solutions. How can organisations leverage enterprise-grade low-code technology to tackle complex, mission-critical challenges and enable large-scale digital transformation? What is the role of low-code in integrating emerging technologies like AI, cloud, and edge computing? Raymond Kok, Chief Executive Officer at Mendix, a leading low-code application development platform which is part of tech conglomerate Siemens, shares his insights on the impact of low-code technology, trends in application development and the state of low-code adoption in Singapore and Asia.

2024 was a memorable year for Bitcoin and the entire cryptocurrency sector. The approval of Bitcoin ETFs in January marked a significant milestone in crypto investment in the US. It reached new all-time highs in March and October, and crossed the symbolic threshold of US$100,000 in December, solidifying its position as a global benchmark asset.  Singapore is emerging as a digital asset hub, attracting talent, investments, and groundbreaking projects. With advancements in blockchain technology, increasing institutional adoption, and clearer regulatory frameworks, the sector is poised for growth and promises to redefine the way we interact with financial systems in the new year. What will 2025 bring for cryptocurrencies and DeFi development in Asia?  Danny Chong, co-chairman of the Digital Assets Association in Singapore and co-founder of decentralised protocol Tranchess, shares his outlook for 2025.

In an era of unprecedented digital connectivity and data growth, securing sensitive information has never been more critical. With increasing threats and advancements in technology, how can businesses stay ahead of the curve? From the rise of AI-driven threats to the growing importance of zero-trust architectures, what should organisations be aware of to safeguard their data and infrastructure in an ever-changing digital world? Terry Ray, Senior Vice President and Fellow at Imperva, shares his predictions for data security in 2025 and critical trends shaping the future of cybersecurity.

Asia Pacific offers one of the best coastlines in the world, housing thousands of islands in the pacific ocean which boasts many popular tourists spots. In this region, the growing appetite for luxury assets such as superyachts is in tandem with the surge in the number of high net worth individuals. How are industry players riding this wave of Asian wealth? Industry Insight dives into the world of marine opulence and luxury with Peter Mahony, General Manager (Asia) at Benetti Yachts. Peter shares his insights on the burgeoning superyacht industry in Asia and how the Italian yacht builder is shaping the future of luxury yachting.

Singapore’s property market has witnessed a remarkable surge, with November sales reaching their highest level in over a decade. According to fresh data from the Urban Redevelopment Authority, developers sold 2,557 new private units last month—exceeding the previous six months combined and marking the strongest performance since March 2013. Industry observers attribute the figures to pent-up demand, lower interest rates, and prominent private residential launches. Looking ahead, what are the trends that will shape private real estate in the new year? Christine Sun, Chief Researcher and Strategist at OrangeTee Group, provides expert insights into Singapore’s private residential property market.

The digital information landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace, and with it, the demand for efficient and accessible data storage solutions is growing. Cloud services have emerged as a cornerstone of this transformation, redefining how we store, manage, access and optimise vast amounts of data. According to Statista, corporate data stored in the cloud surpassed 60% in 2022, a significant leap from just 30% in 2015, and the trend shows no sign of slowing. Sanjay Deshmukh, of Snowflake, a global leader in cloud-based data solutions shares valuable insights on the challenges and opportunities in data management. The company's senior regional leader forASEAN and India discusses why organisations must have a solid data foundation to unlock the full potential of data in the age of AI.

The US dollar has remained resilient, rallying 7% since October 2024, buoyed by expectations surrounding Trump's economic policies and their influence on the Fed's monetary stance. The greenback is demonstrating renewed strength against most foreign currencies, with the USD index nearing 2023 highs. Yeap Junrong, Market Strategist at forex provider IG joins us to share his insights into historical seasonal patterns, the impact of a potential Fed rate cut, and the outlook for key currency pairs, including USD/JPY and USD/SGD.

Mobile phone fraud continues to pose a significant threat, with cybercriminals employing increasingly sophisticated tactics like phishing, malware, and fraudulent apps. Just last week, the Singapore Police Force issued a warning about a new phishing scam targeting victims through fake PayNow websites. These scammers send text messages claiming that a "certificate" is about to expire, directing users to a fraudulent website where they are tricked into sharing sensitive personal and financial information. Eugene Liderman, Director of Android Security Strategy at Google, shares with us insights on the broader trends in cybercrime, including how fraudsters are leveraging advanced technologies like AI to design increasingly convincing scams, and expert tips to keep your cyber health in check. 

The online learning market has experienced unprecedented growth, with projections suggesting it will reach USD490.20 billion by 2029. In Singapore, this transformation is particularly pronounced. Coursera reports a 240% surge in Generative AI (GenAI) enrolments in 2024, totalling nearly 50,000, with one signup in GenAI content every 14 minutes. Singapore leads Southeast Asia' GenAI boom, and ranks among the top 15 globally for GenAI course enrolments. Raghav Gupta, Managing Director, Asia Pacific at Coursera, shares about the growth drivers in the online learning market in the region, and the top growing AI skills to learn for the future of work.