The Fed, the Yen and Singapore’s Surprise Tech Star

Claressa Monteiro
Published Fri, Dec 5, 2025 · 05:46 PM
    • UltraGreen.ai raised about US$400 million in its debut on the Singapore Exchange this week.
    • UltraGreen.ai raised about US$400 million in its debut on the Singapore Exchange this week. SOURCE: ULTRAGREEN.AI

    The final Fed meeting of the year is days away and investors are already pricing in a cut. Japan may hike. The yen is stirring. Bond markets are twitchy. In short, the macro picture is anything but dull. In this episode of Market Focus Weekly by The Business Times, Emily Liu sits down with Charu Chanana of Saxo Bank to decode a week where labour data sends mixed signals and central banks look torn between caution and conviction.

    Here at home, UltraGreen.ai has pulled off the largest non REIT debut in eight years, a sign that Singapore’s tech pipeline may finally be broadening beyond the usual suspects. OCBC also hit a record high, driven by wealth momentum that is helping it close some of the distance with DBS. It is a lively cross-section of global and local forces and Chanana is unusually candid about what is real, what is noise and what investors should watch.

    Why listen

    Fed signalling that matters Chanana separates what is likely, from what is wishful thinking and explains why the tone of the Fed may move markets more than the cut itself.

    BOJ and the yen’s next act A possible hike in Japan could shift global capital flows. Chanana outlines who should care and why.

    A practical AI success story UltraGreen.ai is not hype. It is applied medical tech. Chanana explains why that distinction matters for Singapore’s market.

    OCBC’s quiet climb What is behind its record high and whether its valuation gives it room to narrow the gap with DBS.

    Across the episode, Chanana offers a clean read on a very noisy week, giving listeners a grounded sense of where the year may end. A sharp, purposeful listen for anyone tracking markets in December. Listen now.

    Market Focus Weekly is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or at bt.sg/podcasts. Feedback or ideas? Email btpodcasts@sph.com.sg.

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    Written and hosted by: Emily Liu

    With Charu Chanana, Chief Investment Strategist, Saxo Bank

    Edited by: Howie Lim 

    Produced by: Emily Liu and Howie Lim

    A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media

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