Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

Mortgage rates are falling. So why are so many Singaporeans still choosing the more expensive option? Even as floating-rate home loans become cheaper again, many homeowners are sticking with fixed-rate packages, paying more for the certainty that their monthly repayments won’t suddenly spike. But with inflation worries, global tensions, and uncertainty over where interest rates are headed next… is that caution justified? Are homeowners making a smart financial hedge, or overpaying for peace of mind? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Lee Sze Teck, Senior Director of Data Analytics, Huttons Asia, to find out more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Sailors rejoiced sealing back-to-back titles, but there was much heartbreak elsewhere as late goals ruled the day this past SPL weekend. And with transfer rumours swirling, could there be more heartbreak in store for some clubs? Deepanraj Ganesan, sports reporter with The Straits Times, chimes in on Sports Minutes. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a world where academic pressure, mental health, and expectations are all colliding — are we finally rethinking what “good parenting” actually looks like? In Part 1 of a Mother’s Day Special of The Agenda, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Jade Rasif, who is a mother of one, to find out how millennials are going about being a parent, and to find out what actually works best for the future generation of Singapore. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Nazirul Asrar dive into the viral new manga Single x 35 — the internet’s latest obsession not because it’s fantasy, but because it feels almost too real for Singaporeans. Set against the all-too-familiar backdrop of MRT rides, resale flat bidding wars, office burnout and the quiet panic of being in your 30s without life “figured out,” the trio unpack why this hyper-local story about 35-year-old Shun Li is striking such a nerve online. Plus, they ask listeners the big question: what really is the hardest part about living in Singapore today? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On The Agenda, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Isaac Tng, Founder of SixMoreDays to find out if millennials are trying too hard to “stay relevant”. Once known as the trendsetters, millennials are increasingly being called out for doing things to keep up with the times. In Singapore, where generational expectations and career pressures run high, this tension feels especially familiar. So, is the idea that millennials are “out of touch” actually fair? Or is it just another cycle of generational rivalry playing out online? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fresh graduates may be taking a little longer to land that first full-time job, but according to Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, that doesn’t necessarily mean the job market is weakening. In Parliament, he pointed out that while recent figures show softer fresh graduate employment outcomes, those numbers are coming off an unusually strong post-Covid hiring surge, when companies were aggressively rehiring to catch up on demand. So is this just a temporary adjustment, or a structural shift in how young people enter the workforce? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Professor Lawrence Loh, Department of Strategy and Policy, National University of Singapore, to find out more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On What's Trending, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Nazirul Asrar dive into a Michael Jackson tribute flashmob that has since gone viral this week. From moonwalks to high kicks, what makes it viral is not the perfectly synchronised movements and routines of the legendary pop star. Instead, the group of dancers put a unique twist to this tribute by donning their traditional Malay costumes and took a spin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grab’s new cross-border taxi booking feature now allows users in Singapore to book rides straight to Johor and surrounding areas via the app, with trips requiring at least 12 hours’ advance booking. While the move promises greater convenience and wider access to destinations like Johor Bahru, Iskandar Puteri, Forest City, Kulai and Senai, fares are dynamic and can even end up higher than traditional street-hail options. With cashless payments, fluctuating pricing and new pickup rules on both sides of the border, does this make cross-border travel truly easier or just more complicated? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Terence Fan, Assistant Professor Strategic Management & Entrepreneurship, Singapore Management University, to find out more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On The Agenda, Hongbin Jeong and Chris J. “Mohawk” Reed, the founder of Black Marketing, unpack a familiar but increasingly heated narrative: every generation thinks the next one just isn’t built for the world of work. That perception is starting to show up in hiring decisions too, with some surveys suggesting fewer than 1 in 10 employers feel Gen Z are fully prepared for work, and nearly half saying they aren’t ready at all. So what’s really going on here? Are Gen Z genuinely unprepared, or is the modern workplace failing to keep up with them? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Lion City Sailors have been crowned 25/26 Singapore Premier League Champions - becoming back-to-back title winners for the first time in their history. And Sports Minutes, checks in with Head Coach Jesus Casas to mark historic occasion. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh and Nazirul Asrar dive into Seoul’s hilariously relatable Power Nap Contest, where exhausted contestants in royal robes and koala onesies compete to become the ultimate public sleeper by napping the hardest under official heart-rate monitoring. But beneath the absurdity of competitive sleeping lies a deeper conversation about burnout, hustle culture and why one of the world’s most sleep-deprived societies is turning rest into a spectator sport. From South Korea’s relentless work culture to China’s “lying flat” movement, the trio unpack whether sleep has become a luxury in modern life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore must be prepared for more difficult times ahead. It’s a stark message from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, and one that’s raising bigger questions about what comes next for jobs, wages, and the economy. At this year’s May Day Rally 2026, the Prime Minister didn’t just sound the alarm on global uncertainty and AI disruption, he also made a bold promise: that even if jobs are lost, workers will still be protected. But in a world where change is accelerating, how realistic is that? And what will it actually take to deliver on that promise? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speak to Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, Senior International Affairs Analyst at Solaris Strategies Singapore and a concurrent Senior Lecturer at the National University of Singapore, to find out more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s digital world, influence can come overnight — but being a role model is a different story. As Gen Z creators gain massive followings, expectations around authenticity, responsibility, and accountability are higher than ever. On The Agenda, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Gen Z Content Creator, DRZY, to find out what young audiences today are really looking for in the people they follow. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On What’s Trending, Hongbin Jeong, Nadiah Koh, and Nazirul Asrar dive into the surprise revival of long-dead social media platforms Friendster and Vine amid the growing wave of nostalgia for a simpler early-internet era. Then, the conversation then shifts to a viral SMRT bus incident where a singer was gently told to sit while performing on the upper deck, sparking debate over public etiquette versus spontaneous expression, before landing on GovTech’s experimental ‘Firstdate’ idea to tackle dating fatigue and catfishing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Money Matters comes to a close, the team takes a heartfelt look back at the journey that brought them here. From its early days, to becoming a staple on MONEY FM 89.3, this final episode reflects on the conversations, connections, and countless interviews that shaped the show. Hosts Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian, as well as producers Nadiah Koh, and Alexandra Parada reunite on air to share behind-the-scenes memories, from unscripted moments and last-minute saves to the camaraderie that carried them through nearly a thousand interviews a year. In this emotional farewell, the team expresses gratitude to one another and to listeners who supported the show, while looking ahead to new beginnings within the MONEY FM family. It’s the end of one chapter, but also the start of something new on May 4. Stay tuned! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The list of Singapore’s top employers for 2026 has been released this week, and dominating the top five spots are JPMorganChase, Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore, Singapore Airlines, Apple and Motorola Solutions. So what really defines a “best employer” today? Is it salary, flexibility, mental health support — or something deeper like trust and workplace culture? On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Eunice Grace Choong, Senior Professional from Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP) to find out more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On What’s Trending Hongbin Jeong and Nadiah Koh dive into the viral panda murals transforming an ageing HDB block in Teck Whye into a cheerful community landmark, to the subtle rise of shrinkflation quietly making everyday groceries smaller while prices stay the same. They explore why public spaces matter more than we think, and whether Singaporeans are paying more attention to what surrounds them… and what’s slowly disappearing from their shopping carts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lombard Odier’s latest FX and commodities outlook maintains a negative stance on the US dollar, driven by structural imbalances and shifting global dynamics. Despite resilient US data, the dollar’s strength is expected to fade as the Federal Reserve eases policy and its yield advantage narrows. Against this backdrop, Asian currencies are coming into sharper focus, particularly those supported by strong current account positions, such as the Chinese yuan and Thai baht, while higher-yielding currencies like the Indian rupee and Indonesian rupiah may continue to face pressure. On The Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Dr Luca Bindelli, Head of Investment Strategy at Lombard Odier, to break down the outlook for the dollar, Asia FX, and where investors can find opportunities in today’s currency markets. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore shares rose today despite most Asian markets logging a negative session. The Straits Times Index was up 0.54% at 4,887.45 points at 1.22pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$1.45B seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have for you DBS, after the lender posted a net profit of S$2.93 billion for its first quarter ended Mar 31, up 1 per cent from S$2.9 billion in the year-ago period. Elsewhere, from how outgoing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell confirmed ​he would stay on as a governor for now to defend the institution's independence, to a low down of US big tech earnings ahead of Apple’s results, more international and corporate headlines remained in focus. On the final edition of Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with her regular Thursday guests Terence Wong, CEO, Azure Capital and David Chow, Director, Azure Capital. The trio also took a walk down memory lane to reflect the past 4 years of Market View commentaries and how the segment has evolved over the years. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The SPL title may seemingly be heading the Sailors way, but the race to finish fourth is far from over. 3 points separate Balestier Khalsa in 4th and Geylang International in 5th - with 3 games to go, two of which are against each other. So a grandstand finish on the cards, and one man who could play a pivotal role for the Tigers is Jakov Katuša. He sits down with Sports Minutes to tell us all about his past, his present and his future. Got a story to tell? Get in touch! raushan@sph.com.sg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.