Ho Kien Hung

18/08/2026

“Growing old is inevitable. Being able to afford dignity, care and choice is not.”

The assisted living package includes accommodation, housekeeping and linen service, core meals, full usage of the facility’s amenities and fitness and strength-training equipment, as well as access to social and wellness activities.

25/07/2026

Sovereign wealth fund GIC's returns fell for a third straight year to a six-year low in FY2025/2026, as it took less risk and prioritised resilience amid what it called "profound uncertainty".

The sovereign wealth fund says it took less risk and prioritised resilience, in line with its long-term mandate.

23/07/2026

“A lot of people say AI is the new electricity, like a utility,” Chen said - not merely a technology, but an essential part of everyday life.”

The warning by China’s president draws on a long-standing domestic narrative about the costs of falling behind in previous technological revolutions, say analysts.

19/07/2026

“However, insurance payouts are different, as the High Court ruled that the husband could not touch his ex-wife's payout as it was compensation for her long-term care.”

The husband also alleged that that his wife deliberately tried to "launder" matrimonial assets by spending on medical insurance.

18/07/2026

1. Emergency Reserves Are Empty: The world cushioned the initial crisis by drawing heavily on strategic stockpiles. The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is now sitting at a 43-year low. There's no backup left for a prolonged shock.
2. China is Re-entering the Market: Global prices stayed low because China drastically cut oil imports to a near-decade low in June. But that drop was temporary; China is now returning to the market to buy and replenish its tanks.
3. Alternative Routes Are Under Attack: When the Strait of Hormuz was blocked before, traders bypassed it using short "shuttle runs" and regional pipelines. Now, those alternative routes and vessels are being directly targeted.
4. The Diesel "Double Whammy": It’s not just crude. Following drone strikes on its refineries, Russia has banned diesel exports. Because global freight and logistics run on diesel, this will quietly drive up shipping costs for everyone.
5. Refined Product Risks: Countries with large refining capacities (like South Korea) can adapt by importing raw crude from the US or Africa. The real victims of a long squeeze will be countries that rely heavily on importing already-refined fuel (like the Philippines and Bangladesh).
6. Aggressive Diversification: The crisis has permanently shifted global energy maps. India is buying heavily from Russia, while countries like South Korea are fast-tracking the restart of nuclear reactors to entirely cut their reliance on volatile Gulf oil.
The takeaway: Markets have been too complacent. The buffers are gone, and any renewed disruption will hit the global supply chain much harder this time around.
👉 What’s your investment doing to insulate against another round of market volatility?

03/07/2026

China’s rapid investment in humanoid robots is not simply about technology—it is about securing leadership in the next industrial revolution. Here’s why it matters:

1. Solving the Labour Shortage

* With an ageing population and declining birth rates, humanoids can fill labour gaps in homes, healthcare, manufacturing and service industries while maintaining economic productivity.

2. The Next Smartphone Moment

* Just as smartphones transformed communication, humanoids could become the next universal personal assistant—handling household chores, caring for the elderly, tutoring children, managing schedules and interacting naturally with families.

3. AI Needs a Physical Body

* Generative AI has become the “brain.” Humanoid robots provide the “body.” Combining AI with robotics allows digital intelligence to interact with and assist in the physical world, creating entirely new industries.

4. Massive Economic Opportunity

* Countries leading in humanoid technology will dominate future manufacturing, AI software, sensors, semiconductors and robotics supply chains. This could become a multi-trillion-dollar global industry over the next two decades.

5. Household Adoption Is Closer Than Many Think

* Expect early adopters within 3–5 years, especially for eldercare, home security and domestic assistance. By 2035–2040, humanoids could become as common in homes as smartphones, smart TVs and robotic vacuum cleaners are today.

6. A New Era of Human Productivity

* Rather than replacing people, humanoids are likely to augment our daily lives—taking over repetitive tasks so humans can focus on creativity, relationships, health and higher-value work.

My Perspective

We are witnessing the beginning of a new technological era. Just as the internet and smartphones reshaped society, AI-powered humanoids have the potential to redefine how we live, work and care for our families. The biggest opportunities over the next decade may not only come from using AI—but from investing in the ecosystem that powers it.

01/07/2026

Participating (par) funds are managed with a long-term smoothing approach rather than distributing all investment gains immediately. When investment markets perform exceptionally well, insurers typically retain part of the surplus within the par fund instead of paying everything out as bonuses. This reserve acts as a buffer that can support bonus payouts during years when investment returns are weaker.

As a result, policyholders generally experience stable and sustainable bonuses instead of large fluctuations from year to year. Even though 2025 delivered strong double-digit investment returns for several insurers, most companies chose to maintain existing bonus rates because they focus on the fund’s long-term health rather than reacting to a single year’s performance.

In essence:

* Strong investment years build reserves within the par fund.
* These reserves help cushion weaker market years.
* Bonuses are declared conservatively to ensure they remain sustainable over decades.
* This smoothing mechanism is one of the key advantages of participating life insurance, providing policyholders with more predictable long-term returns despite market volatility.

30/06/2026

The proportion of households earning S$30,000/month or more has almost doubled over the past five years.

While this is encouraging, I’ve noticed one important trend after working with families over the past 25 years:

Higher income creates more opportunities—but it also creates more complexity.

As wealth grows, the conversation should gradually shift from simply earning money to:

✔ Growing wealth efficiently through disciplined investing

✔ Protecting accumulated assets against life’s uncertainties

✔ Structuring your estate so your wishes are carried out smoothly

✔ Preparing the next generation to receive, manage and preserve family wealth responsibly

The biggest risk isn’t failing to build wealth.

It’s building wealth without a plan for what happens after you’ve built it.

The families who create lasting legacies don’t just invest well—they plan intentionally.

Wealth is built over a lifetime. Legacy is built across generations.

If your family’s financial position has changed significantly over the past few years, it may be time to review whether your wealth strategy has evolved with it.

28/06/2026

As wealth becomes increasingly global and family structures more complex, legacy planning has evolved beyond wills and estate distribution. It now encompasses succession, tax efficiency, asset protection, family governance and preserving values across generations.

The greatest gift isn’t simply wealth—it’s leaving behind clarity instead of complexity.

30/03/2026

To address rising insurance premiums and private healthcare costs by instilling discipline in healthcare consumption, particularly for minor procedures, MOH has mandated that new IP riders sold from April 1 can no longer cover the minimum IP deductibles set by the ministry.

This means that those with the new riders have to pay at least $1,500 before insurance coverage kicks in.

In addition, the co-payment cap will be doubled from the current $3,000 to $6,000, requiring policyholders to pay a larger portion of their bills.

Medical costs are expected to continue rising in 2026 globally, with the Asia-Pacific region reporting the highest increase at 14 per cent, according to the 2026 Global Medical Trends report published in November 2025 by global advisory, broking and solutions company WTW.

According to the report, Singapore is expected to overtake Indonesia to become the Asia-Pacific market with the highest medical inflation at 16.9 per cent.

Past WTW annual reports showed that medical inflation in Singapore had been under 10 per cent until 2024, when it rose to 12.3 per cent, and further grew to 15.5 per cent in 2025.

Factors leading to higher medical inflation here include an ageing population; adoption of costly new technologies, treatments and medication; and high operating expenses driven by increasing real estate prices and salaries due to a shortage of healthcare staff.

The Global Asia Insurance Partnership (GAIP), a non-profit tripartite partnership of the insurance industry, regulators and academia, said the health protection gap in Asia – the difference between healthcare costs and financial resources available, including insurance – is now the single largest protection gap. This is compared with other gaps such as mortality and catastrophe protection gaps.

“In Singapore, the discussion is not only about medical inflation, but also about broader healthcare cost trends, including utilisation, how care is delivered, and what these mean for long-term affordability,” said Ms Min Hung Cheng, chief executive officer of GAIP.

The figure had stayed under 10 per cent until 2024. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.