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.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang began his first local inspection of the year in Guangdong, calling for expanded imports and more balanced trade growth after China’s trade surplus exceeded US$1 trillion, signalling Beijing’s intent to ease global trade tensions. SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian noted that despite conciliatory signals, China’s trade surplus is likely to keep expanding due to the strong competitiveness of its “new three” exports, with policy space mainly limited to cutting export subsidies and increasing imports from Europe.
In a commentary, SMU Assistant Professor of Communication Management (Education) Sungjong Roh and Swarm AI Managing Director Sam Ahmed said that the imbalance that artificial intelligence (AI) creates, citing that shielding executives from automation while lower-tier workers face displacement, reflects a deeper structural problem. They noted that AI deployment decisions are often concentrated at the top, with limited accountability for long-term societal consequences.
SMU Associate Professor of Marketing Hannah Chang explains that emotions are not inherently irrational; instead, they rapidly integrate information and signal what people care about. Assoc Prof Chang stated that emotions, when aligned with personal goals and values, can actually help consumers make choices that feel meaningful and authentic.
