Your Money with Michelle Martin

What did FedEx’s latest earnings results and forecast suggest about the health of the economy? And while US stocks are rushing back into the bull-market territory, why is Morgan Stanley's top strategist saying that investors may be in for “a rude awakening”? Dan Koh explores these questions and more with Ryan Huang and Sean Cheong. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unlike the CPF Special and MediSave Account, which will see an increase in interest rate to 4.01% per annum in the third quarter of this year, the Ordinary Account will remain unchanged at 2.5%. And that’s sparking debate on the need to further increase interest rates to fight inflation!   Joining Dan Koh on Money and Me, is Christopher Tan, CEO, Providend to discuss the significance of the 0.01% increase in interest rates, the odds of the OA rates increasing, and if you should be topping up your CPF accounts or investing your money to beat inflation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following an earlier meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken ended a high-stakes visit to Beijing with an unexpected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping yesterday! What went down during the short 35 minute meeting? Dan Koh and Ryan Huang investigate. They also find out why Warren Buffet is doubling down on his investment in Japan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How much are you willing to give up to live in a bungalow? For some, it might mean their retirement…  Did you know, there is a growing number of distressing predicaments today, faced by retirees who own million-dollar homes, but have insufficient cash savings to meet their living expenses? That’s a term that some of us may describe as ‘asset rich, cash poor’. So today on Money and Me, Dan Koh invites Elijah Lee, Senior Financial Services Manager, Phillip Securities to discuss how you can avoid the trap of being ‘asset rich, cash poor’, and finding the balance between growing our assets in the long run, while ensuring that we have sufficient cash flow in the short run to meet our financial commitments. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How is the HKD-RMB Dual Counter Model reviving the longer term prospects of the benchmark Hang Seng Index? Did U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang manage to bring back some semblance of normalcy back to a strained relationship during their meeting in Beijing? Dan Koh and Ryan Huang look into these headlines and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did the overall economic outlook change in light of the US Fed’s latest policy decision? What’s fuelling the confidence of the US stock market even in the face of recession warnings or fresh monetary threats from Jerome Powell?  Dan Koh invites Cheng Chye Hsern, Head of Investment, Providend to break down the latest market reactions and what investors should make of the recent bull run. They also find out what’s driving interest in Japanese equities of late and how investors here should think about investing in Japan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite recession warnings or fresh monetary threats from Jerome Powell, it seems like they’re not enough to dampen investors’ spirits, with the S&P 500 touching a fresh 13-month high. But could this signal an overbought market? Meanwhile, how is Adobe’s AI integration bringing back confidence to the stock? Dan Koh and Sean Cheong explore these headlines. They also discuss BlackRock’s latest push into crypto and what’s driving TikTok’s bet in South-east Asia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a widely anticipated move, the US Federal Reserve agreed to hold interest rates steady after 10 consecutive increases, but surprised with a forecast of two more quarter-point hikes in its economic projections this year. How are markets reacting to news of this renewed hawkish stance? Dan Koh and Sean Cheong dive into the details. They also find out if the stocks squeezing the S&P 500 higher, bouncing off the AI theme, have what it takes to tamp down inflation or simply, just a bubble waiting to burst.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are widely known to provide broad-based market exposure and present one of the most cost-effective ways to start our investment journey. But given the evolution of the diversity and complexity of ETFs since its creation, it can certainly be challenging to navigate this complex market.  But fret not, because today on Money and Me, Dan Koh speaks to Tim Phillips, Head of Content & Investment Lead for ProsperUs, CGS-CIMB Securities about how to trade ETFs, the key factors to consider when picking an ETF and how you can effectively integrate them into your investment portfolio. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the key takeaways from the US inflation report for May 2023? How likely is it to influence the US Fed policy decision? And how is AMD stepping up its challenge against Nvidia? Dan Koh and Ryan Huang analyze these headlines and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.