Monthly archive

In 2012, Citi Singapore and SMU jointly launched Singapore’s first structured financial literacy programme for young adults, recognising the need for young adults to learn how to take control of their finances. In an interview, SMU Assistant Professor of Finance (Education) Aurobindo Ghosh, who is the Programme Director of the Citi Foundation-SMU Financial Literacy Programme for Young Adults, and SMU student and President of the Citi Foundation-SMU Financial Literacy Club Christopher Yap Jun Hao discussed and shared their insights on the financial literacy of young adults in Singapore.

Commenting on the rise of contactless payment methods, SMU Assistant Professor of Finance (Education) Aurobindo Ghosh noted that cashless payment methods such as credit cards and e-wallets can be used to manage one’s finances because of electronic tracking. Asst Prof Ghosh, who is also programme director for the Citi-Foundation SMU Financial Literacy Program for Young Adults, felt it is perhaps not so much the payment method, but discipline and financial literacy that play a role in financial prudence. However, he acknowledged that the proliferation of different cashless payment models might influence young people’s spending habits and increase the risk of overspending.

Inflation in Singapore is expected to remain unchanged for the year, with more Singaporeans believing Covid-19 will have a significant impact on inflation rates, according to the latest quarterly survey results of the Singapore Index of Inflation Expectations (SInDEx) published jointly by DBS Bank and SMU. DBS and SMU said tighter public health measures – under phase two and phase three (heightened alert) – and new virus variants may have outweighed the positives of Singapore's vaccine roll-out. The SInDEx survey was led by SMU Assistant Professor of Finance (Education) Aurobindo Ghosh. DBS Group Research is a co-sponsor and research partner, together with SMU's Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics.

Increasing attention is being paid to climate change. The current pandemic emphasises the need to equip people with the ability to deal with uncertain environmental, economic and political changes, says Professor of Finance (Practice) Dave Fernandez, Director of SMU’s Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics.

A fast-growing sector of finance is catching up to how capital markets and innovative private sectors can empower positive impact through environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies as a disrupter in investment opportunities.

How will Green Finance impact our investments in the future? Will it influence our prevailing understanding of climate science, financial economics and sustainable investing?

Read More