Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

Singapore stocks were pulled into positive territory today after global markets finished higher overnight.

In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) rose 0.4 per cent to 3,226.29 points after 27.6 million securities changed hands in the broader market. 

In terms of companies to watch, we do have Thomson Medical Group after it posted a 66.7 per cent drop in net profit to S$13.8 million for its second half ended June. 

Meanwhile, from China slashing stamp duty paid on stock trades for the first time in 15 years, to Vietnamese electric vehicle maker VinFast becoming the third most valuable automaker on earth, more international headlines remain in focus. 

On Market View, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked these developments with Toby Gresham, Investment Counselor Team Lead, Citi Private Bank.

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This is a conversation that you would love if you’re into Asian-dramas or variety shows – think the likes of your Running Man, Descendants of the Sun and so on. 

Our guest for today is Viu, which is a leading pan-regional over-the-top video streaming service operated by billionaire Richard Li’s PCCW. 

The firm distributes Asian contents in different genres in local language subtitles, as well as produces original drama series. It is present in 16 markets including Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and even in Middle Eastern and African countries such as Egypt and South Africa. 

Viu was launched in Singapore back in 2016, where it was known for making Korean dramas more accessible to pop culture lovers. 

But how has the entry of players such as Netflix and Disney+ reshaped the competitive landscape in recent years, especially with some players working with top production studios in South Korea to secure a steady pipeline of drama series?

Meanwhile, Viu continues to see strong financial results. According to Media Partners Asia, the firm surpassed Netflix in the number of paid subscribers in Southeast Asia as of the end of June this year.

Separately, it also saw an increase of 30% in revenue for the first half ended June, while paid subscribers expanded 21% as well. To what extent is this contributed by Singapore and why?

On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian sat down with Anson Tan, Country Head, Viu Singapore to find out more.

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Singapore stocks started the week on a positive note after Wall Street ended its last trading session higher.

In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) rose 0.5 per cent to 3,207.09 points after 58.1 million securities changed hands in the broader market.

In terms of companies to watch for today, we have Yangzijiang Shipbuilding being a hot stock of the day at over 12-year highs. 

Meanwhile from Hotel Properties Limited’s plan to redevelop the Forum mall to China Evergrade Group slumping as much as 87 per cent in Hong Kong after a 17-month trading halt, more corporate headlines are in focus. 

On Market View, the Drive Time team unpacked the developments with Chin Hui Leong, Co-founder, The Smart Investor.

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Today we’re going to talk about the people behind the flats and apartments we live in – the people building our homes that is. 

Construction firms, as we know, have been hit by supply chain disruptions and a manpower crunch during the pandemic. 

While things are looking up as work resumes and supply chain bottlenecks ease, industry players continue to face challenges such as working with pre-pandemic contracts that do not account for higher material costs.

So how are construction companies navigating choppy waters, and how are they adjusting their business strategy to remain financially viable?

Let’s pose these questions to our guest Straits Construction. Starting small in 1969, Straits Construction is a builder that got its first breakthrough in 1982, when it built its first Housing and Development Board of HDB project at Serangoon Avenue 4. 

Since then, the firm has taken on more public and private projects. Some past projects include the Royal Square at Novena, which houses Courtyard by Marriot Hotel.

On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian caught up with Kenneth Loo, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Straits Construction Singapore  for more.

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Eight members of the 2022 Singapore national women’s tchoukball team have decided to give back to their association after they were named Team of the Year for the first time at the Singapore Sports Awards - pledging to donate their share of the $10,000 prize money. Why? Tune in to find out as Delane Lim, President of the Tchoukball Association of Singapore, and Irene Tan, team captain join us on Sports Minutes.

READ MORE:
https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/women-s-tchoukball-team-donate-part-of-their-10k-prize-money-for-future-generations

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Singapore stocks opened weaker today following overnight losses on the global market.

In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) headed down 0.4 per cent to 3,169.14 points after 65.1 million securities changed hands in the broader market. 

In terms of companies to watch today, we have Frasers Property, after the group announced yesterday that it will start a partnership with SP Group to develop and implement smart-energy solutions at Binh Duong Industrial Park in Vietnam. 

Meanwhile, from the impact of missed payments by Chinese financial conglomerate Zhongzhi to listed firms in the country, to the Jackson Hole Symposium underway in the US – more international headlines are in focus today.

On Market View, the Drive Time team unpacked the developments with Benjamin Goh, Head of Research and Investor Education, SIAS.

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From wheat, sugar, cashew, to cotton and even rice. Today we’re going to take you through a company that specialises in the physical buying and selling of such agri-commodities. 

Incorporated in 1990, Agrocorp International is a leading integrated agri-commodities and food solutions provider, with a strong presence in emerging markets like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and India. 

It also secured sustainability loans from the International Finance Corporation to sustain the flow of calorie-rich staples to Bangladesh. But what bearing does this have on Agrocorp’s financials?

Away from South Asia, the firm established an upstream presence by investing into pulse processing plants in Canada and Australia. But what are the reasons for locating the facilities in these developed markets? 

Meanwhile, Agrocorp also moved into the plant-based meat alternatives scene by developing the first plant-based, nut free cheese range in Singapore with support from the Singapore Institute of Technology and Enterprise Singapore. 

To what extent have such moves to diversify reaped tangible benefits for the firm?

On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Vishal Vijay, Director, Strategic Investments, Agrocorp International.

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Experience a journey through time at Pullman Singapore Orchard this National Day month. Immerse yourself in an exhibition that showcases photographs of Singapore's rich history, while savouring an exclusive menu by their restaurant, offering a selection of hearty local dishes.

The upcoming exhibition 'Once Upon an Island: Images of Singapore', will showcase the remarkable works of the late photographer and documentary filmmaker, Dr. Ivan Polunin.

To find out more, we speak with Rob McIntyre, General Manager, Pullman Singapore Orchard.

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According to the Singapore Human Resources Institute, Singapore is poised to encounter a significant talent shortage, with a projected shortfall of 1.5 million skilled workers by 2030. In response to these trends, companies are increasingly turning to automated tools to streamline their recruitment processes.

We find out from Ben Chew, founder and Managing Director of Talentvis Singapore how talent shortage, remote work, digital skills demand, and automated recruitment tools are reshaping the workforce landscape in Singapore. 

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An overhaul of the classification system for mature and non-mature estates and a new retirement support package for workers born in 1973 or earlier are among the key announcements in Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s National Day Rally speech last weekend. 

Were there any topics that should be covered but were not? What reactions are we getting from the ground so far?

Paulin Tay Straughan, Professor of Sociology (Practice), Singapore Management University shares more. 

 

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