Interviews

Singapore must apply its characteristic prudence to AI investment

Global productivity has not accelerated significantly despite billions of dollars in automation spending, says NUS Business School’s Sumit Agarwal.

Added November 26, 2025

Nippon Steel mulls next move as US deal falters

Writing cheques has become a thing of the past for most people in Singapore as the country increasingly adopts digital payment methods such as PayNow and mobile wallets.

Added December 16, 2024

Nippon Steels Plan B Now in Focus as $14 Billion US Deal Falters

Added December 14, 2024

Integrated Shield Plan or just MediShield Life? Weighing the options

Private insurers have introduced innovative measures like pre-authorisation and discounts for healthy behavior to manage costs and consumption patterns.

Added October 25, 2024

Permintaan akaun simpanan peribadi meningkat dalam kalangan kanak-kanak; perlu langkah keselamatan sewajarnya

Terdapat seruan untuk segera menangani celik kewangan kanak-kanak terhadap penipuan sedang permintaan bagi akaun-akaun bank peribadi dalam kalangan muda terus meningkat.

Added October 20, 2024

Opposition over Nippon Steel's bid to buy US Steel casts pall on US-Japan ties

The potential US$14.9 billion sale has run into opposition from US President Joe Biden as well as US Vice-President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. US Steel should “remain American-owned and operated”, Ms Harris said on Sept 2.

Added September 18, 2024

Biden blocking Nippon Steel's bid to buy US Steel on national security risk casts pall on US-Japan ties

Japanese officials are vexed by the offhand use of rhetoric that blatantly calls into question Japan’s status as America’s closest ally and most stalwart advocate for US interests in the Indo-Pacific.

Added September 18, 2024

Singapore's tax revenue expected to rise at slower pace in FY24/25, say experts

New top-up corporate taxes will not affect revenue just yet; higher personal income taxes from top earners may also not be significant

Added September 13, 2024

Indonesia hopes startups play big role in free school lunch plan

Added August 26, 2024

Fresh opportunities, pressing challenges for DBS under new leadership

DBS is poised to get its first female CEO when Tan Su Shan takes over the reins from retiring chief Piyush Gupta next year. Her technological expertise will stand the bank in good stead, says NUS Business School’s Sumit Agarwal.

Added August 14, 2024

DBS chief Piyush Gupta steps down; Tan Su Shan to take the top job – CNA

DBS chief Piyush Gupta steps down; Tan Su Shan to take the top job

Added August 7, 2024

Singapore grows in appeal for major foreign insurers

Added August 3, 2024

Singaporeans worry that a long BTO wait would lead to a short marriage fate

In a book series, a study by NUS Business School professors seems to suggest a correlation between the infamous Build-to-Order (BTO) scheme in Singapore and an increase in divorce rates.

Added June 12, 2024

Netizens urge policies overhaul to ease pressure on young Singaporeans rushing into marriage for BTO

A NUS study revealed that the HDB Build-to-Order (BTO) scheme may foster early marriages while also increasing the probability of divorce. Netizens caution against solely blaming young couples for early divorces and advocate for a review of BTO policies. They highlight the soaring public housing prices and the fear of missing out as factors compelling young Singaporeans to hastily marry to secure a BTO at current prices.

Added June 11, 2024

BTO system may have spurred earlier marriages but higher divorce rates: NUS study

Singapore's Build-To-Order (BTO) system may encourage young couples to get married early, but it may also increase the possibility of divorce, according to a study by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School.

Added June 8, 2024

BTO scheme led to early marriages but also more divorces: research

New book by NUS professors analyses the influence and consequences of economic decisions in Singapore

Added June 7, 2024

Third popular Kiasunomics book touches on BTO scheme and property prices

Kiasunomics is a one-of-its-kind book that is truly Singaporean. This book contains many academic research works that use Singapore’s data and rigorous methodologies to investigate many interesting stories about the everyday life of Singaporeans.

Added June 5, 2024

11th Asian Monetary Policy Forum to Discuss Monetary Policy Challenges Amid Uncertainty and Structural Shifts in the Global Economy

The 11th Asian Monetary Policy Forum (AMPF) will take place in Singapore today and tomorrow. This year’s AMPF once again brings together leading policymakers and academics to focus on the challenges confronting monetary policy against the current macroeconomic and financial landscape.

Added May 23, 2024

11th Asian Forum to discuss monetary policy amid global economic shifts

Uniting leading policymakers and academics to address challenges in the current macroeconomic and financial landscape.

Added May 23, 2024

NTUC, SNEF call for transition support package for retrenched workers

This comes as the National Trade Unions Congress (NTUC) and Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) expect more layoffs this year.

Added February 8, 2024

Nurturing a new generation of green finance talent

Professor Sumit Agarwal and Associate Professor Zhang Weina from the Sustainable and Green Finance Institute (SGFIN) reflect on their learning journeys.

Added September 14, 2023

Are banks leaving information on the table

Fintech firms are giving banks a run for their money, writes Sumit Agarwal.

Added June 7, 2023

Besides penalties like plastic bag tax, there can be rewards for green behaviour

While the 5-cent charge is an encouraging step, plastic bags are only one of the many products that contribute to waste. Consumer behaviour must also be changed more systematically, says Sumit Agarwal of NUS Business School.

Added March 20, 2023

What is green finance and why is it important?

There is now an urgent need to present a clear message of what green finance is, why it is important, and how everyone can play a role in this development.

Added July 14, 2022

Ending cheap, convenient deliveries will help platform workers in Singapore

Platforms can help people find a job quickly when times are bad. It certainly provided a lifeline to workers in industries most badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Added March 24, 2022

Race for scarce talent in green finance looming in Singapore

Singapore’s green economy will be the next big thing – but there is a dearth of experts who specialise in sustainable finance for Asian markets, say professors from NUS Business School.

Added March 17, 2022

Building sustainable Singapore economy in a post pandemic world

According to the United Nations, there are three main pillars to achieve sustainable development — economic, social and environmental. Finance Minister Lawrence Wong covered all three pillars when he delivered the Budget 2022 statement on Friday (Feb 18).

Added February 19, 2022

What is different about inflation this time

Added February 14, 2022

Should we be worried about a higher cost of living in 2022?

There are a few reasons Singapore’s overall inflation is at its highest in over eight years, but it is not all gloom if there is scope for more help to cope with rising costs, says NUS Business School professor Sumit Agarwal.

Added January 2, 2022

Does rise in food delivery roles suggest something’s wrong with fulltime employment?

Platform firms may be adding new workers to the Singapore economy - workers who would otherwise not have entered the workforce in the first place, says NUS Business School's Professor Sumit Agarwal.

Added November 9, 2021

People’s behaviour towards events affects how they spend

People change spending habits due to external events, but these changes are often temporary. They prioritize convenience over security and adjust based on financial circumstances.

Added July 29, 2021

When e-wallets run galore in Singapore

Several years ago, Singaporeans lamented the lack of e-wallets and the lag in implementing e-payment technology. Now in 2021, they get to choose from a wide offering.

Added March 11, 2021

Is it time to raise the taxes on the rich

THE Singapore Budget 2021 brought news of increased petrol duty rates and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on small-ticket items bought online. However, there is another way of increasing revenue that also helps narrow the income gap of citizens at the same time - raise taxes on the rich.

Added March 10, 2021

The gig economy is a cushion for unemployment in a pandemic and is here to stay

Delivering food or ride-hailing jobs may have a poor reputation as unstable and low-skilled but NUS economist Sumit Agarwal says it is important especially when times are tough.

Added March 9, 2021

Low interest rates could tempt more to borrow beyond their means

More consumers may be buying houses and taking on big housing loans, which poses risks for the Singapore economy, says NUS Business School’s Sumit Agarwal.

Added October 8, 2020

Singapore’s steady seven-month plan to get the economy back on track

he S$8 billion package announced by DPM Heng Swee Keat is not only intended to tide businesses and workers over the next little while but also intends to position all for future growth, says NUS Business School’s Sumit Agarwal.

Added August 19, 2020

A case for making plastic bags in Singapore ugly – or even embarrassing

Singaporeans have come to see plastic bags as an entitlement and an expected part of retail service, says NUS Business School’s Sumit Agarwal.

Added August 10, 2020

We expected Singapore economy to shrink, now let’s look at how to recover

The question is not if we will see a drop in Singapore's economic growth. The important question is how quick and steep we expect the recovery to be, once we open up the economy.

Added May 26, 2020

A burning issue: Calculating the cost of haze

Hazy conditions in Singapore on Sept 18, 2019. The writer found that during the major haze incident in 2015, a 100 per cent increase in the PSI was associated with an average increase of 14.3 per cent in hourly water consumption.

Added September 23, 2019

After the Fed’s Rate Cut, the impact on Singapore and Growth

The fact that the impact might be limited speaks volumes about Singapore's waning reliance on the US, says NUS Business School’s Sumit Agarwal.

Added August 21, 2019

Disrupted, India’s future hangs in the balance – and in the hands of the voters

But the choice is clear given that Narendra Modi’s bold moves have been largely successful, says NUS Business School’s Sumit Agarwal.

Added May 14, 2019

The curious case of slick start-ups that tout billion-dollar valuations then rapidly collapse

The move-fast-and-break-things tech industry is littered with examples of start-ups that became the darling of the moment, yet months later collapsed into nothing, says NUS Business School’s Low Tuck Kwong Distinguished Professor of Finance Sumit Agarwal.

Added April 8, 2019

Consumers feel the pinch of rising interest rates

Some consumers will find it challenging to make their mortgage payments, say NUS Business School Professor Sumit Agarwal.

Added February 22, 2019

Do Team Modi’s note ban claim stand the test of data? See for yourself

In November 2016, the government of India announced a sweeping ‘demonetisation’ of the economy, invalidating billions of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 banknotes overnight. The primary reason, it said, was to crack down on so-called ‘black money’.

Added September 13, 2018

India’s Demonetization Drive: A Necessary Jolt Towards a More Digital Economy

Our study strongly suggests that India’s 2016 demonetization, the largest the world has ever seen, effectively stimulated the transition from a cash-based to a digitally enabled economy.

Added September 3, 2018

Singapore's Secret Weapon In The Startup Race Is Workplace Flexibility

Recent research has found that the flexibility offered by Singaporean government schemes has played a huge role in the country's recent startup boom. Here's why workplace flexibility is so important to budding entrepreneurs.

Added April 30, 2018

Beyond price hikes and conservation campaigns, saving water through smart showers

Conserving water is a national imperative – and how much water you consume while showering can be reduced by as much as almost 20 per cent through powerful nudges, say two experts from the NUS Business School.

Added March 27, 2018

SG Bonus a Boost for Economy

Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced in his Budget speech that Singaporeans aged 21 and above this year will get a one-off SG Bonus or "hongbao" of up to $300 each, in line with the Government's longstanding commitment to share the fruits of the nation's development.

Added February 25, 2018

The Budget – An Economists’ View Point

Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat said that with the economy doing well and growing at a faster than expected pace, real wages and output have risen.

Added February 22, 2018

Roads To Riches Or Roads To Nowhere? How Better Infrastructure Affects Growth In Rural India

Investments in public infrastructure such as improved roads are a key component of economic growth strategy for emerging economies, with policymakers frequently advocating the trickle-down benefits of better connectivity for rural households.

Added February 15, 2018

If you build roads will finance come? Find out

Policy-makers assume financing will follow once roads are built, and facilitate best use of new productive opportunities created by new road connectivity. Yet many rural and agrarian economies suffer from chronic problems of financing.

Added January 27, 2018

Did US Banks Try to Manipulate the Dodd-Frank Debate by Delaying Mortgage Foreclsures?

Did banks delay foreclosures on delinquent mortgages in the districts of House Financial Services Committee members prior to the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act?

Added November 16, 2017

Regulating Airbnb rentals not pressing until numbers grow

Regulating the sharing economy to accurately price in disamenities can be challenging, but not doing so only serves to kick the can down the road, say three experts from the National University of Singapore on Airbnb.

Added November 4, 2017

India's Savings Experiment: Tax Concessions Are A Double-Edged Sword

With many economies facing the challenge of a rapidly aging population, whether people are saving optimally becomes an increasingly important social issue.

Added October 19, 2017

Empowering kids key to saving electricity

Research shows children's nudging can reduce household electricity consumption

Added August 21, 2017

Low supply, high demand – unpacking housing sector’s signals

OPINION | Lower supply of housing with higher demand: What can this mean for the consumer and our economy? Should we be alarmed?

Added May 25, 2017

Early withdrawals from retirement savings plans: What is the real opportunity cost

Like every other area of consumer finance, a simple idea – set aside money in an investment plan on a regular basis – has become a set of decisions that requires significant effort and experience.

Added April 24, 2017

Banking the Unbanked: Is the NDA govt’s flagship initiative Jan Dhan Yojina bearing fruit on the ground

There is a big debate about the role of financial markets and products in shaping consumer welfare and real economic activity.

Added March 9, 2017

Fed poised for 3 rate hikes in 2017 following Yellen’s Capital Hill visit

Depending on how the economy develops and how fast fiscal policy is shaped up and pushed through, the Fed might be able to affect three rate hikes this year.

Added February 16, 2017

Targets, real-time feedback can cut water usage in the shower

Water is an important and scarce resource in Singapore. One of the key strategic thrusts in its water supply blueprint is long-term self-sustainability.

Added February 11, 2017

Golden Spending in the Silver Years

A familiar fact of life is that expenditures rise as we enter into working adulthood, spurred in part by our need to live well, supported by higher disposable income.

Added August 5, 2016

Shop till you drop or when you run out of your cards

A study of credit and debit card transactions during the Great Singapore Sale yields interesting insights into shopping patterns.

Added June 8, 2016

Pick a card, any card: Cloaked corruption in China

In late 2014, the Shanghai office of the China Banking Regulatory Commission fined seven commercial banks for breaking credit card rules, including not doing due diligence in assessing credit cardholders' ability to repay loans.

Added January 6, 2016

How school proximity affects house prices in Singapore

Singapore parents will go to great lengths to get their children into popular schools. Primary 1 registration begins in the second half of each year.

Added December 16, 2015

The ‘Hungry Ghost month’ effect on housing

Just as Americans have Halloween, the Chinese have the month-long Hungry Ghost Festival, which is also known as Zhong Yuan Jie, that falls in the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar.

Added September 2, 2015

The impact of housing credit on personal bankruptcy

During Singapore's property market boom from 2009 to 2013, house prices reached an all-time high at a time when increased housing credit and record-low interest rates gave people the confidence to borrow and take on more debt to buy their homes.

Added July 4, 2015

CPF reform: Nudge people to make optimal choices

With more of us living longer, pressure is building to make sure that we can look after ourselves in what is referred to as our golden years.

Added February 7, 2015

Is Uber taking us for a ride?

Remember when getting a taxi meant calling a despatcher or standing by the roadside waving your arms frantically in the hope of catching the eye of a passing cabbie?

Added December 22, 2014

The ‘lucky 8’ premium in housing unit prices

Superstition - such as fondness for the numeral eight which sounds like prosper in Chinese - does play a role in real estate and in the stock market.

Added September 19, 2014