Commenting on the journey along the Northern Sea Route, SMU Assistant Professor of Operations Management (Education) Joyce Low said that seasonal electronic products and consumer products may be transported via the Northern Sea Route, reducing export costs to Asia. She added that if the Northern Sea Route is perceived as a complement to existing trade corridors and not a substitute, a win-win situation can be achieved by enhancing the resilience and flexibility of the global transport network.
Commenting on TikTok’s new US venture, SMU Associate Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship Chen Liang explained that US consumers clearly favoured these China-originated apps as it offers addictive algorithms, affordability, and convenience. He told CNBC that these apps act as adaptive ecosystems which manage both demand and supply sides effectively, and it transcends mere policy navigation.
Commenting on the phenomenon, often termed as “eco-gentrification”, SMU Assistant Professor of Finance (Education) Aurobindo Ghosh said that while sustainability has long been embedded in everyday lives and livelihoods, both in India and globally, the modern idea of sustainable living is increasingly a privilege rather than a right. He said that with the rising cost of living, ordinary households are often forced to choose between meeting daily necessities and caring for the planet’s long-term health.
Commenting on TikTok’s new US venture, SMU Associate Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship Chen Liang said that 2025 showed that China-originated apps are not just policy arbitrageurs, but are adaptive ecosystems with governance capabilities on both the demand and supply sides. Assoc Prof Chen said that policy shocks in 2025 did not really make demand disappear. He added that they proved that these platforms can adapt their logistics, merchant mix, and incentive design faster than consumer habits shift.
SMU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business, in collaboration with DBS Group Research and partly funded by DBS, released the Singapore Index of Inflation Expectations survey on 20 January 2026 which showed that the majority of Singaporeans expect headline inflation to rise slightly in 2026 as a result of global high trade policies followed by geopolitical uncertainties, higher interest rates, supply chain disruptions, and fiscal responsibility measures, such as higher value-added taxes.
On the topic of complaints against Singapore's beauty industry, SMU Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) Seshan Ramaswami likens package purchases to investments with a risk-return trade-off. He noted that consumers may find it difficult to ask for time to consider such purchases. Additionally, salespersons are often trained to frame the package as a one-off offer tied to a trial session, creating a sense of urgency that may push consumers into accepting the package.
China and the European Union have reached a breakthrough in negotiations over electric vehicle (EV) trade measures, shifting away from punitive duties toward a pricing arrangement. SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian said that the earlier tariffs had not significantly reduced Chinese EV sales in Europe, and replacing them with a price commitment means Chinese firms voluntarily raise prices, a change that European consumers may barely feel but one that benefits Chinese manufacturers by improving profit margins
Commenting on the results of a survey on the challenges of Singapore businesses, SMU Associate Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship Chen Liang said that more measures were needed to lower business compliance costs. He noted that current assistance programmes for businesses focused more on new market entry than compliance with rules.
Commenting on why “first jobbers” tend to be less satisfied with their job, progression and alignment with their aspirations, SMU Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources Jared Nai said that this is fairly common and expected, as many first-jobbers experience a reality shock with their first full-time job.
Meta has agreed to buy artificial intelligence (AI) start-up Manus, a company founded in China but now headquartered in Singapore, in a deal seen as a landmark case of a US tech giant acquiring a China-linked AI firm amid geopolitical tensions. SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian said the Chinese government does not appear intent on restricting AI companies from expanding overseas. He added that major Chinese AI models such as DeepSeek and Qwen are open-source, indicating that China is taking a relatively open stance towards AI development.
