Breakfast with Ryan Huang, Emaad Akhtar and Audrey Siek

Ray Heung, Senior Investment Strategist, Standard Chartered Bank discusses how investors should position themselves in Q2, amid global trade tensions and geopolitics. He shares his view why the US is likely to avoid a recession, and equities will rebound once volatility normalizes.  Produced/Presented: Ryan HuangSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The political and economic situation between the United States and Venezuela is growing increasingly tense - spanning domestic and international borders, involving deportations, oil tariffs, and geopolitical maneuvering. Even as questions arise in a legal challenge over the process to determine gang members, the Trump administration deported more alleged Venezuelan and MS-13 gang members to El Salvador over the weekend. On the trade front - US President Donald Trump recently issued an executive order declaring that any country buying oil or gas from Venezuela will pay a 25% tariff on trades with the US. According to the executive order, the 25% tariff to be imposed on buyers of Venezuelan oil will take effect on 2nd April and would be combined with any existing tariffs. On this episode of Morning Shot, we dig deeper into the constitutional debate behind the deportations, impacts of oil tariffs on Venezuela as a petrostate, and why Venezuela’s ongoing descent into economic and political chaos is a cautionary tale of the dangerous influence that resource wealth can have on developing countries. Presented by: Emaad Akhtar & Audrey SiekProduced by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Photo credits: Maxwell Briceno/Reuters; Secretaria de Prensa de la Presidencia/Handout via Reuters; Doug Mills/The New York Times; Atlantic CouncilSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sevasti Balafas, CEO at GoalVest shares her insights on choppiness in the markets ahead of "Liberation Day" on 2nd Apr as promoted by President Donald Trump, rotation away from some expensive names, CoreWeave's US initial public offering, as well as sentiments around recessionary fears. She also weighs in on what investors' playbooks are looking like as we head into the rest of 2025, amid an uncertain rates path.  Presented by: Ryan HuangProduced by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)Photo credits: Dado Ruvic | ReutersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many of us know it for its iconic furry monster-like dolls embraced by collectors and celebrities alike. Others might recognize the brand for its exciting blind box concept featuring popular characters like Molly, SkullPanda, and Crybaby. But if there’s one thing we all can agree on today, it's how much of an impact the collectible craze is having on Pop Mart’s business. Join Dan Koh and Ryan Huang to unpack Pop Mart’s latest financial results for the full year of 2024 and if investing in one of the world’s biggest indulgence pays off in the long run.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you rely on power banks and chargers as much as we do? Power banks have been getting a bit of bad press lately. And now if you’re flying SIA or Scoot, you can’t use it on the plane anymore. You can still bring them, but you can’t use them, and you can’t charge them either.  What’s going on? Audrey, Ryan and Emaad discuss the proper ways to use a power bank, and what you should look out for if you’re in the market for one.   Presented by Audrey Siek, Ryan Huang & Emaad Akhtar Produced and edited by Audrey Siek Photo & Music credit: Pixabay & its talented community of contributorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Singaporeans place greater importance on health and wellness, the demand for high-quality supplements and personalized health solutions continues to soar. And according to Watsons Singapore, today’s consumers aren’t just looking for products—they seek expert advice, tailored recommendations, and a seamless, integrated shopping experience. In response to this shift, the iconic health and beauty retailer has introduced a game-changing concept: the first-ever GNC store-within-a-store. Goh Choon Gek, Commercial Director of Watsons Singapore joins the Breakfast Show to discuss the significance of GNC’s return to Singapore after three years and what this move means for the future of wellness retail in the region.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We can't believe Q1 2025 is coming to a close! Time flies - and the headlines just keep coming. Many things have happened this month in Singapore and around the world that we’ve covered here on The Beakfast show. Let’s see how much you know about this month's top stories. Play along with us! Are you ready? Presented by Audrey Siek & Ryan Huang Produced and edited by Audrey Siek Photo & Music credit: Pixabay & its talented community of contributorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At a time when the threat of climate change is prompting countries to reshape their environmental and energy policies, China's commitment through investments, manufacturing prowess and supportive policies is anchoring its leadership in the clean energy sphere. With the shift in stance by the Trump administration towards climate change, China now leads in global investment in clean energy, channelling substantial amounts into projects across solar and wind power, EVs and battery production. Over the last two decades, China has achieved stunning growth in its installed renewable capacity, far outpacing the rest of the world. It currently produces 31% of its electricity from renewable sources including wind, solar, hydroelectricity, and geothermal. While the country is still heavily reliant on coal, estimates predict that by 2026 solar will overtake the fossil fuel as China’s leading energy source.  On this episode of Eco Money, Ivy Yin, Market Specialist for Energy Transition and Carbon at S&P Global shares her insight on whether China's financial and policy reforms are enough to push the world's biggest polluter towards dominance in renewables. Presented by: Audrey SiekProduced by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Photo credits: VCG / AP PhotoSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new study has found that ocean acidity may have prevented life on Earth from developing for the planet's first 500 million years.  On this episode of Climate Connections, its study lead, Dr Guo Meng from the Asian School of the Environment at NTU weighs in on how ocean pH has evolved from our early days and the research by her team of scientists, on developing the most comprehensive Earth system model to date that is shedding new light on the critical role of ocean pH levels in the emergence of early life. Her efforts so far, have given scientists a new perspective on when Earth likely became a habitable place some 4 billion years ago. Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)Voiced by: Emaad AkhtarPhoto credits: University of Richmond; AP/Richard DrewMusic credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a mission to democratize access to financial markets, it does seem like Robinhood is living up to its name of - in some ways - stealing from the rich to sustain the poor. In the name of financial inclusivity, the commission-free brokerage recently announced plans to roll out wealth management and private banking services to retail investors and traders. Join Dan Koh and Ryan Huang as they unravel the details of Robinhood’s latest product lineup and find out what users of the platform can stand to gain from a field that has long been the domain of high-net-worth clients.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.