DBS Group Research and SMU’s Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics (SKBI) released the latest Singapore Index of Inflation Expectations (SInDEx) which showed that households in Singapore have modestly raised their expectations for near-term price increases, driven by mounting global uncertainties, supply chain disruptions and the spectre of new tariffs. The one-year-ahead headline inflation expectations climbed to an average of 3.4% in June, from 3.3% in March.
At the launch of the 24th Singapore Prestige Brand Award (SPBA) on 21 July 2026, SMU Professor of Marketing (Practice) and Associate Dean (Impact) of the Lee Kong Chian School of Business Sabine Benoit, said the growing use of AI search is changing how consumers make decisions, and businesses should focus on Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) so their content is more likely to be cited and recommended by AI tools.
Commenting on recent shopping and lifestyle developments along Orchard Road, SMU Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) Seshan Ramaswami explained that e-commerce shifts are systemic and consumers may be perfectly content to enjoy experiences on the street without spending anything. He said that patrons may eat, enjoy experiences, meet friends, and hang out – all without expenditure on shopping for physical goods.
SMU Assistant Professor of Finance Shihao Yu co-authored a working paper with Stanford researchers and identified signs that traders may be manipulating one of Polymarket's most popular Bitcoin betting markets by briefly influencing the cryptocurrency's price used to decide the wagers. They also found repeated bursts of one-sided trading on the Binance exchange that temporarily moved Bitcoin's price in the final seconds before bets closed, benefiting traders positioned in the same direction.
SMU Dean of College of Graduate Research Studies and Janice Bellace Professor of Strategic Management Heli Wang collaborated on a KAIST-led study, led by Professor Narae Lee from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) School of Business and Technology Management, analysing US immigration legislation and environmental data. The study found that when immigration becomes a central political agenda, government environmental oversight weakens and firms’ toxic chemical releases rise.
In an interview, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan said that while a 10-minute walk to the MRT is an easy benchmark to implement, the actual commuting experience varies depending on factors such as weather and individual mobility. He noted that residential location often involves trade-offs, with some commuters inevitably facing longer journeys.
Commenting on Sentosa’s planned development to upgrade it into a major tourist destination, SMU Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) Seshan Ramaswami said Singapore’s strengths – including its location, cleanliness, transport links, use of English language and cultural diversity – placed it in good standing compared with other Asian tourist destinations.
Commenting on the artificial intelligence (AI) boom driving the price of high-end memory and storage chips, SMU Assistant Professor of Finance (Education) Aurobindo Ghosh said that as AI infrastructure and other capital expenditures drive up chip prices, the inflation rate for information and communication equipment may rise slightly in the second half of this year as the cost is passed on to consumers.
SMU Associate Professor of Strategic Management Cyndi Zhang Man, Academic Director of the Chinese Executive Master of Business Administration, was a panellist at the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Mid-Year Business Outlook Forum on 2 July 2026.
SMU Professor of Marketing (Practice) and Associate Dean (Impact) Sabine Benoit is one of the keynote speakers at the 24th Singapore Prestige Brand Awards (SPBA). This year, SPBA will host a presentation, inviting two past award-winning company representatives and two business scholars to share their experiences and insights on brand building.
