Under the Radar: Straits Trading on valuations for properties in 2023; Interest rates and recessionary risks; Revenue growth vs cost management; Opportunities in Japan, UK real estate sectors; Infrastructure in Penang; Tokenisation of corporate bonds and diversifying funding sources

We’re going to bring you an inside look into a conglomerate investment company with operations and financial interests in resources, property and hospitality.  Founded in the early years of Singapore’s colonial history – we’re talking about 1887 here – The Straits Trading first started out as a company catering to the region’s growing tin smelting industry.  It become renowned for its tin smelting operations by the 1900 and accounted for two-thirds  of Malaya’s Tin output. Now, Straits Trading has evolved over the years to expand into sectors such as property, equity investments and hospitality. But which is the most important business vertical for the firm? Meanwhile, the firm posted a net loss of S$121.8 million for the second half of 2022, amid higher capitalisation rates and a reduction in the fair values of investment properties in Australia, China, South Korea and the United Kingdom. What are we looking at this year? How is the company walking the tightrope between revenue growth versus cost management in a high interest rate environment? And where do opportunities lie for Straits Trading? On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Eric Teng, CEO, Straits Developments Private Ltd and Group COO, Straits Trading.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.