Global financial markets were in a spin recently when the Japan's main stock index suffered its worst day in 37 years and stocks on Wall Street faced their sharpest decline in nearly two years.
Eddy Loh, chief investment officer of Maybank Group Wealth Management, tells Andrea Heng what this means for economies and for investors.
Singapore watch strap brand Delugs has grown from a small bedroom operation to an international brand. The brand’s founders, husband-and-wife duo Kenneth Kuan and Chia Pei Qi, want to make strap changing a lifestyle.
Kelvin Pung is an avid dive photographer whose artistic captures of underwater critters aim to promote and protect Singapore’s marine life. His work is all the more impressive because Kelvin had lost the use of one arm in an accident years ago. This makes suiting up before each dive a real challenge, which only deepens the respect for his dedication to dive photography. Kelvin’s personal journey of discovering the gems that live in Singapore’s waters serves as an inspiration.
Azman Hamid fell in love with Pulau Ubin while growing up on the island. Even though he has moved to the mainland more than three decades ago, his heart remains on Ubin. He has been taking a boat to the island daily ever since to work as a taxi driver. He calls himself the last Malay driver in Pulau Ubin, because he literally is. Together with 6 other drivers of taxi vans on the island, Azman is committed to preserving Pulau Ubin’s kampong life in the face of urban development and dwindling visitor numbers.
Some 20 million cases of cancer were diagnosed worldwide in 2022, up from 18 million in 2020. The WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer predicts that number would rise by 77% to 35 million by 2050. And in a disturbing worldwide trend, early-onset cancers - diagnosed in people under 50 - have increased globally by 79%. As the demographics of US cancer patients increasingly shift from older individuals to middle-aged people, evidence suggests that risk factors in early life and young adulthood, including diet, lifestyle, obesity, environment and the microbiome, all play a role in this shift.
CNA Correspondent takes a closer look at the various factors behind the trend, and finds out what cancer researchers are doing to understand this growing phenomenon. And it heads to one of the world's so-called Blue Zones to see what lessons can be learned from societies where many residents live to advanced, and healthy, old age.
Hong Kong graduates and youths are looking to mainland China for work and business opportunities. Some are even choosing to work and live in cities like Guangzhou or Shenzhen and super-commute back to Hong Kong on weekends. And that’s possible because the Greater Bay Area, an economic zone of 9 major cities in the Guangdong province, is designed to facilitate people movement.
What’s a young graduate to do when he’s surrounded by millions of unemployed peers, and there are not enough traditional white-collar jobs to go around? For Gen Z in China, one solution is to take up blue-collar jobs.
Meme coins – they’re a product of Internet humour and are also trending in the cryptocurrency world this year. But is easy come also easy go, and what other risks do you need to be aware of?
Many young Singaporeans are turning to life coaches to help them live, well, their life. With a burgeoning industry that’s largely unregulated, Producer Charmaine Tan, herself a 20-something, delves deep into the sector to find out if she really needs to pay someone to act as her life coach.
This is the first #mystory episode of Talking Point that intimately looks at issues facing the youths of today.
From stamping out bribery to stemming systemic corruption, Malaysia’s government is facing renewed public pressure to rein in its ‘Little Napoleons’ - a term for officials who abuse their power while hiding behind red tape. Can the Anwar administration crackdown on what some allege is a “deep culture” of corruption in Malaysia’s public service at all levels?
South Korea's is facing a population crisis, with Seoul at the centre of it. The country’s capital remains the beneficiary of both internal and external migration. Instead, it is in the rural and peripheral areas where low birth rates and the aging population have become crises. The countryside is at risk of becoming extinct.
As more opportunities and people get concentrated in Seoul, urban pressures have led to rising unemployment and cost of living. And when things get expensive, people do not have babies. Seoul now has the lowest birthrate in South Korea, in a country with the world’s most dire fertility. On the other hand, farms and factories in the rural areas desperately need workers. How can South Korea solve this population puzzle?
Chinese Gen Zs and millennials are choosing to buy domestic products, such as Xiao Mi, BYD or Mao Geping, instead of international brands like Apple, Tesla or Dior.
‘Guo chao’ which translates to national wave is the trend where Chinese shoppers are buying ‘Made In China’ products by Chinese brands rather than international names. For some Chinese youths, using homegrown labels evokes that sense of nationalistic pride.
Would you run a parcel collection point from your home? Two HDB residents who signed up say they got to know their neighbours better, but they have also received complaints.
China's hot-pot giant Haidilao offers more than just food. It has free manicures and massages for customers. Waiters dance on request. The over-the-top performances and customer service set it apart from its competitors. With fresh funds from a public listing, the restaurant company plans to expand across the U.S.
WSJ examines the Chinese company and explores whether these gimmicks could be enough to sustain America's appetite.
From Apple and Goldman Sachs to Bilt and Wells Fargo, high-profile credit card partnership missteps reveal how risky these deals between brands and banks can be. Almost 30% of adults own co-branded credit cards as customers can earn different rewards like discounts or free hotel points. So why are some partnerships hitting road blocks?
WSJ explains how these complex partnerships work and what’s at stake.
Jakarta is the fastest sinking city in the world, and the Indonesian government is moving its capital 800 miles away from the island of Java. Nusantara is set to open next month but with investors pulling out, project heads resigning and little complete, the city’s fate remains uncertain.
WSJ explores how the promised capital risks squandering Indonesia’s funds and damaging the country’s reputation.
The company behind the popular artificial intelligence chatbot, ChatGPT, OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit in 2015 by a number of researchers, academics and entrepreneurs including Sam Altman, Greg Brochman and Elon Musk. Musk left OpenAI in 2018 and now has his own artificial intelligence company called xAI.
In its early years, OpenAI flew somewhat under the radar, at least from the point of view of the general public. The company released its first project in 2016, a toolkit called “OpenAI Gym” used for developing and comparing reinforcement learning algorithms. That same year, OpenAI also released Universe, a tool to train intelligent agents on websites and gaming platforms. But the release of ChatGPT in 2022 is what propelled the company to stardom. Today, OpenAI is valued at over $80 billion and counts Microsoft, which has invested around $13 billion into OpenAI since 2019, as a major supporter and partner. But OpenAI’s wild success has also raised concerns from regulators and experts who question the outsized power that artificial intelligence companies and Big Tech could have on our society as well as the toll that the technology could take on our power grid.
More than 80% of recent homebuyers say they regret their purchase, according to a recent survey from Clever Real Estate. Home prices have been rising faster than incomes, which can be a problem for homeowners because as the value of a home rises, so does the cost to maintain it. Property taxes and insurance premiums have been rising at a rapid rate, influenced by inflation and the increase in catastrophic weather events.
In its fiscal third-quarter report, Walgreens announced its plans to close a ‘significant’ amount of stores, acknowledging only 75% of its 8,600 stores were profitable. While no specific stores were tapped for closure yet, more than 2,000 locations could face the chopping block by 2027. This just the latest sign of trouble for the struggling retail pharmacy sector as CVS and Rite Aid both announced large closures in the past year. Watch the video above to learn why U.S. pharmacy chains are fighting for survival.
Starbucks reported a global same-store sales decline of 3% and missed revenue expectations by $130 million in its fiscal third-quarter earnings on July 30, 2024. Its share price has tumbled nearly 25% in the past year. That's all due to operating challenges, an increasingly price conscious consumer and boycotts related to the Israel-Hamas war. Still, the coffee giant accounted for more than 25% of the U.S. coffee and snack shop market in 2023.
Scott Goodfriend, 39, was working his dream job at Meta — until he was laid off just 8 months into the gig in February 2023. Instead of taking another corporate job, he decided to take his food tour side hustle full-time. Now he runs Ultimate Food Tours in New York City, bringing in $145,000 a year.
As a wind turbine service technician, Jessica Jackson, 37, has one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. It’s also the fastest-growing job in the U.S.
News that German insurer Allianz is planning to buy a majority stake in Singapore's Income Insurance has led to sharp criticism. Questions are being asked - is Income Insurance, formerly an NTUC co-operative, prioritising profit over people? Or is it moving as all corporations do?
Steven Chia and Crispina Robert speak to Professor Lawrence Loh, director of Centre for Governance and Sustainability at the NUS Business School and Eddy Cheong, CEO of Havend Pte Ltd, an insurance advisory firm.
Making it mandatory for international companies based in Singapore to list on the Singapore Exchange. That's among measures market watchers are calling for, as the Monetary Authority of Singapore looks into how to boost listings on the bourse. SGX had only one initial public offering in the first six months of this year, versus six in 2023. Meanwhile, five Singapore-based companies have listed overseas in the same period. Nadirah Zaidi reports.
In 2006, Singaporean Justin Low opened a farm in Huazhou - a county-level city under the administration of Maoming, which is about 500km away from Guangzhou city. Justin, who currently resides in Shenzhen, has help from around 100 workers who harvest the farm's yearly output of around 600,000kg of longans and lychees.
Around 2,000 Singaporeans live, work and play in southern China's Guangdong province. Maoming is a coastline city facing the South China Sea, with a population of around six million and known for its fruit production. Tan Si Hui reports.
DBS chief executive Piyush Gupta will step down from his position when he retires on Mar 28 next year, announced the bank on Aug 7. He will be succeeded by Ms Tan Su Shan, who has been appointed as deputy CEO, in addition to her current role as Group Head of Institutional Banking. More details: https://cna.asia/3yk4V9n
An increasing number of Chinese youths in their 20s are ditching the promise of cushy careers in the city, for a fresh start in the countryside. It’s part of a very recent trend of urban to rural migration in China, once unimaginable half a decade ago.
Malaysia is looking to be a regional hub for artificial intelligence (AI) in Southeast Asia. The government has the groundwork in place to build a robust AI ecosystem, with the ultimate aim of transforming the country’s digital landscape and spurring economic growth. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been leading the charge, attracting billions of dollars in investments from global tech giants such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Nvidia. Within Malaysia, the adoption rate of the technology is gradually increasing, as seen in how AI has woven its way into the daily lives of people and business operations. The question remains – does Malaysia have what it takes to make its AI dream a reality?
Last November, the World Health Organisation declared loneliness a ‘Global Public Health Concern’. Meanwhile, Gen Zs are emerging as the loneliest generation ever.
Japan has a reputation as a lonely country, but here, there are more lonely people in their 20s and 30s than any other age group. An extreme expression of loneliness are the infamous “hikikomoris” – shut-ins who have isolated themselves from society. More join their ranks each year.
But apart from this group, there are millions of other youths who experience alienation and loneliness. And with it comes a slew of social ills – from greater rates of depression, to falling marriage rates, to lower productivity. Social anxiety, the suffocating rat race and cultural stigma - Insight explores what is driving solitude in the Land of the Rising Sun.
He was young, rich and on the rise in Moscow. But when up-and-coming Russian oligarch Vladislav Klyushin boarded a private jet for a luxury ski vacation in the Swiss Alps, he had no idea that all of it was about to come crashing down. Klyushin was the owner of a cybersecurity company in Moscow called M-13, but the firm was secretly a front for a computer hacking and insider trading operation that plagued Wall Street for years, and generated more than $90 million in illicit profits for Klyushin’s criminal gang. Now, with exclusive access to the FBI investigators and Department of Justice prosecutors who chased Klysuhin around the globe, CNBC’s Eamon Javers can reveal the shocking details of the spectacular rise and fall of this audacious criminal enterprise. We learn about their insider trading in stocks of American companies including Tesla and other high-tech firms, and we see the crooks’ own text messages, which give a revealing look at the bromance between the oligarch and a veteran Russian intelligence hacker at the center of the crime ring. And in an exclusive interview, Javers sits down with a former Russian spy — an officer of the Russian FSB intelligence agency — who explains why all of this, and more, was so important to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
And in a turn of events, the White House just announced a massive, multinational prisoner swap between the U.S., Russia and other nations. As part of the historic deal, the Russian government released high-profile Americans held in captivity there, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who had been in a Russian prison for more than a year.
Also included in the trade were a number of Russians who had been arrested for various crimes and held in prisons in the U.S. and other countries. Klyushin was one of the prisoners released. Watch “Putin’s Trader” for the full story.
It took our investigative team countless hours to unravel the mysteries of “Putin’s Trader”—chasing down sources, going deep into a criminal web spun by those at the highest levels of global power. Join CNBC’s Eamon Javers in every step of this gripping journey by following and listening to the limited podcast series “The Crimes of Putin’s Trader”. It’s the expanded universe of this real-life thriller, featuring exclusive spy interviews and behind-the-scenes reporting. You can find “The Crimes of Putin’s Trader” podcast wherever you get your podcasts or click here and be the first to get notified about new episodes:
While the Olympics is one of the biggest sporting events in the world, it comes with a hefty price tag for the cities hosting the games. Since 1960, every Olympics has overspent its budget by building new venues, Olympic villages, and public infrastructure. For the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, it aims to become one of the cheapest modern Olympics. The total budget for the 2024 Olympics is an estimated $9.7 billion, with 95 percent of the venues needed already built.
Bella Lin, 17, is the founder of GuineaLoft, a company that sells products for small pets, including guinea pig cages, bedding, food feeders and water bottles. In 2024, GuineaLoft has brought in an average of $71,000 per month in revenue so far. That's more than double compared to last year, when the company brought in $34,000 a month.
Kevin Levu, 24, earns $112,000 a year as a travel nurse working in Pelican Bay State Prison. Levu, who studied nursing while serving in the U.S. Army, took his first travel nursing job in 2023 after learning how much money he could make. Here's how he manages his money.
This is an installment of CNBC Make It's Millennial Money series, which profiles people across the globe and details how they earn, spend and save their money.
Drawing inspiration from a doctoral thesis on infant brain development, Jessica Rolph and Roderick Morris co-founded Lovevery - a company specialized in stage-based children's toys. After creating prototypes and entering in the subscription toy box market, the company brought in $226 million in revenue last year.
In the past two years, digital nomad enclaves have been springing up across China’s rural towns and villages. The country’s biggest digital nomad hubs are both in Anji County, in the Eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang. How have DN Yucun and DN Anji become magnets for a wave of young Chinese professionals seeking to redefine their approach to work and life?
Elsewhere, Chinese youth are leaving prestigious jobs in big internet firms in Beijing and Shanghai and returning to their rural roots.
In the west of China, in the province of Sichuan, a former ByteDance product manager gave up a career at ByteDance to become a new farmer, with plans to revolutionise farming practices in his rural hometown. Not far from him, a young couple with postgraduate degrees, left their jobs in Beijing – and an annual salary of 800,000 yuan, or 110,000 US dollars – to pursue dreams of being rural influencers. What enticed them to do so? Discover why attitudes towards rural living have been changing in China
Working out of temple grounds is one unconventional way law charity Pro Bono SG is bringing legal services into the Singapore heartlands. The firm’s young lawyers share why they choose to make a full-time career out of helping Singapore’s underprivileged meet their legal needs.
Between the 1970s and the 1990s, under China's strict one-child policy, an unknown number of baby girls were abandoned by their parents who wanted to have a son. Tens of thousands of these unwanted girls were brought to Putien, Fujian, where they were raised by foster families. But their foster parents didn't do this out of the kindness of their hearts. Instead, they had a clear goal: one day the girls were to marry their sons. Decades later, the women have grown up, and they want answers: where did they came from? And why are they traded like a commodity?
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