Markets rise through shutdown fog but will it last?
The US government may be shut, but markets aren’t. Private-sector data is holding up, the Supreme Court’s tariff review could shift trade flows, AI stocks are still rewriting the rulebook, and Singapore’s banks just posted their latest earnings. A lot is moving and not always in sync.
In this week’s Market Focus Weekly from The Business Times, host Howie Lim speaks with Cheng Chye Hsern, head of investment at Providend, about what’s driving sentiment and what investors should really be watching.
Why listen
- US shutdown, steady data: Private indicators are keeping markets afloat, but what happens when official data returns?
- Tariffs in question: A Supreme Court challenge to Trump-era tariffs could reshape inflation and Asian export flows.
- AI mania tested: Are today’s tech giants funding a genuine productivity revolution or inflating another bubble?
- Banks under the microscope: Singapore’s big three reported mixed results. Cheng unpacks what that signals for 2026’s rate cycle.
For investors trying to make sense of optimism in a world full of red flags, this episode brings perspective, not noise. Listen now.
Subscribe and listen to more episodes of Market Focus Weekly from The Business Times. Feedback and questions can be sent to btpodcasts@sph.com.sg.
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Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg)
With Cheng Chye Hsern, head of investment, Providend
Edited by: Chai Pei Chieh & Claressa Monteiro
Produced by: Howie Lim & Chai Pei Chieh
A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media
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