Live Well

The end of an era at Berkshire Hathaway: Warren Buffett steps down as chairman after more than six decades, with his son Howard taking the chair. But could one of Buffett’s favourite trades — Japan’s five great trading houses — offer investors a way to continue following his playbook? Michelle Martin breaks down why the yen fell even after the Bank of Japan raised rates to a 31-year high, and reveals which major Asian economy now has even lower interest rates than Japan. Then it’s Up or Down: Kylian Mbappé leaves Nike for On, a Wendy’s franchisee files for bankruptcy protection, Disney appoints its first CTO, Google’s Gemini raises fresh AI security concerns, and Nestlé faces mounting risks in Russia. Plus, why Goldman Sachs sees close to 30% upside for ST Engineering — and how Resident Evil just scared up a franchise-record opening at the box office.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Events like Hyrox are drawing a new generation into high-intensity competition. But being able to run fast, lift heavy or boast an impressive VO₂ max doesn’t necessarily mean your heart is healthy. So how do you know whether your heart is actually ready for strenuous exercise? Michelle Martin speaks with Dr Bharat Vashdev Khialani, Consultant Cardiologist, Department of Cardiology, NHG Heart Institute, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, about the difference between fitness and heart health.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US Treasury yields have crossed 5% — so is this finally the moment to lock in attractive bond income, or could yields still climb from here? Michelle Martin speaks with Swapnil Mishra, author of Investing for the Clueless, Reckless and Overly Cautious, about where he sees opportunity across short and long-duration bonds, and why Singapore’s booming bond market is giving local investors more choices. They also unpack an unusual market puzzle: why are gold and the US dollar attracting investors at the same time? And after gold’s big run, are new buyers purchasing protection — or simply chasing performance? Plus, what should investors make of AI leaders themselves calling for greater caution?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Fed has raised rates, but markets are rallying as oil prices and bond yields ease. Could the rate hike also provide a much-needed boost to Singapore banks — and why might UOB emerge as a bigger beneficiary? On Market View, Michelle Martin examines what the changing rate environment means for Singapore banking stocks and whether Wall Street's best day in six weeks has legs. Then it's UP or DOWN: Jensen Huang says Nvidia could sell twice as many chips next year — can the stock keep delivering? Is Zscaler an overlooked cybersecurity opportunity? And could relaxed rules for conservation shophouses unlock new value at Boat Quay? Plus, Pokémon turns 30. Michelle looks at how Pikachu and friends became a multibillion-dollar nostalgia machine — and why Pokémon cards are still attracting serious money three decades later.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Human beings can split the atom, engineer artificial intelligence and peer billions of years into the history of the cosmos. But has our wisdom kept pace with our capabilities? In Eleven Seconds Before Midnight: Humanity, the Cosmos, and the Species We Must Become, Dr. Farshad Shishehchian argues that humanity needs to look beyond the divisions of nationality, culture and ideology and learn to cooperate as a species. The book places our brief existence against the vast scale of a 13.8-billion-year-old universe, while exploring threats ranging from AI and climate change to pandemics and nuclear weapons. What can the cosmos teach us about being human? Why, despite extraordinary scientific progress, do tribal divisions remain so powerful? And can curiosity, open-mindedness and global cooperation help close the gap between what humanity can do and what it is wise enough to do? Michelle Martin speaks with Dr. Farshad Shishehchian, CEO of Blue Aqua International and author of Eleven Seconds Before Midnight: Humanity, the Cosmos, and the Species We Must Become.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A polished presentation, an impressive property and the promise of an 8%, 10% or even 15% return — but do you actually know what you're buying and where those returns are coming from? Recent investment controversies involving Singaporeans are a reminder that a real property or business can sit behind an investment and still leave investors nursing substantial losses. So what questions should you ask before transferring a single dollar? Michelle Martin speaks with Daniel Sim, Founder of Golden Goose Properties, about why even sophisticated investors can get caught, the warning signs to watch for and the five questions he believes every investor should ask before committing their money.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S-REITs have raised at least S$4.5 billion in equity funding this year, while average distribution yields of around 6.2% continue to tempt income investors. But after years of weak capital performance, are investors still being paid to wait—or overlooking deteriorating assets and balance sheets? Michelle Martin speaks with Kenny Loh, REIT Specialist and Wealth Advisory Director, about where he would average down, which headline yields may be value traps, whether banks and bonds now offer better income, and if data-centre REITs provide genuine exposure to the AI boom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michelle Martin unpacks Kevin Warsh’s first Federal Reserve rate hike and Donald Trump’s response, before examining what it could mean for the yen, the Bank of Japan and the Bank of England. Also in focus: why Lumentum and Coherent led the S&P 500, Amazon’s Generac deal, Anthropic’s Singapore expansion and Salesforce’s US$63 billion target. Plus, Boeing’s 737 Max delays, Metrocon’s Catalist debut and ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming overtaking Gautam Adani as Asia’s richest person.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than nine in ten respondents to the Caregiving Welfare Association’s ongoing survey have experienced—or expect to experience—caregiver overwhelm. Yet guilt, family expectations and the fear that nobody else can provide the same care often stop caregivers from taking a break. Michelle Martin speaks with Steven Yeo, Executive Director of the Caregiving Welfare Association, about recognising burnout, balancing employment with caregiving, preparing someone else to step in and making respite a normal, planned part of care.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grab makes a US$1.5 billion bet on Atome, while Nvidia’s Jensen Huang pushes back against calls to slow AI development. Michelle Martin unpacks what it means for investors, plus the pressure from US$100-plus oil and rising bond yields, a setback for crypto stocks, record oil-shipping costs and Metrocon’s market debut. And in the Last Word: Apple’s next wave of products.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.