Tech jitters, Fed splits, Dollar gains: nerves rise

Asian stocks slide. The US dollar notches its strongest weekly gain in months. Oil prices jump as tensions in the Middle East flare again. Add renewed doubts about AI valuations and a visibly divided Federal Reserve, and it is little wonder market nerves are fraying.

In this week’s Market Focus Weekly, a podcast by The Business Times, host Howie Lim takes stock of a week where almost nothing moved in a straight line. She is joined by Hugh Chung, chief investment officer at Endowus, to unpack what is driving the volatility and, more importantly, what isn’t. From resilient US labour data that has not quite changed the Fed’s rate outlook, to sharp sell-offs in parts of the tech sector.

Why listen

• The Fed looks split, but markets are not panicking Despite strong jobs data and mixed inflation signals, expectations for rate cuts have barely shifted. Chung explains why.

• AI anxiety meets old-fashioned valuation fears Software stocks have been hit hard, but not all tech is equal. The real beneficiaries of AI spending may surprise you.

• Commodities are volatile for human reasons From gold FOMO to oil that is being driven by geopolitics rather than fundamentals, this is not a clean inflation story.

• The dollar’s comeback in context A strong week does not mean a strong trend. What matters more is how Singapore-based investors think about currency risk.

• Asia’s quiet re-rating Japan, Korea and even Singapore are seeing renewed interest, driven not by hype, but by corporate governance reforms.

The episode closes on the uncomfortable truth that markets hate uncertainty and the warning that trying to trade every headline usually ends badly.

For investors navigating tech jitters, geopolitical risk and a noisy Fed, this is a timely reset on staying disciplined when everything feels jumpy. Listen now.

Listen to more episodes at bt.sg/podcasts. Got feedback? Email us at btpodcasts@sph.com.sg.

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Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg)

With Hugh Chung, chief investment officer at Endowus

Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro

Produced by: Howie Lim & Chai Pei Chieh

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

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