From 15 September 2025, the UOB PRVI Miles Card will offer 8 miles per dollar (mpd) on Expedia hotel bookings, but reduce the earn rate for flights to 3 mpd. While the earn rate for hotels will increase, the earn rate for airlines will decrease. The new earn rates will apply until 31 March 2026.
Interesting development.
I might try using Expedia to book next time.
I don't mind the mark-ups by Agoda, Expedia for better platform features.
Why Chinese Bubble Tea Chains Are Brewing Billions (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ghcW81-MJs&utm_source=chatgpt.com)
Here’s a concise breakdown of the video “Why Chinese Bubble Tea Chains Are Brewing Billions”:
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Key Takeaways
- Global Phenomenon: Bubble tea has evolved from a viral novelty into a multi-billion dollar global industry. In 2025, major Chinese brands like Mixue Ice Cream & Tea are at the forefront of this boom. (YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ghcW81-MJs&utm_source=chatgpt.com))
- Brands Leading the Charge:
- Mixue Ice Cream & Tea — Now a powerhouse with internationally expanding operations.
- Guming, Heytea, and ChaPanda also play significant roles in shaping this booming market. (Financial Times (https://www.ft.com/content/7cd22551-22cb-4777-8d4d-e79be48f143d?utm_source=chatgpt.com), Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChaPanda?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
- Investor Interest & IPO Activity:
- ChaPanda is preparing a listing in Hong Kong aiming to raise approximately $330 million, fueling its international ambitions. (Financial Times (https://www.ft.com/content/7cd22551-22cb-4777-8d4d-e79be48f143d?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
- Mixue has already listed in Hong Kong, raising $444 million, with share prices surging 43% on debut. (Financial Times (https://www.ft.com/content/c20bc216-1d95-4df2-a787-407d2b5d47fc?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
- Guming also completed an IPO, raising $232 million. (Financial Times (https://www.ft.com/content/c20bc216-1d95-4df2-a787-407d2b5d47fc?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
- Market Growth in Numbers:
- The Chinese market for freshly made tea beverages grew from RMB 53.4 billion ($21B)** in 2023. (Financial Times (https://www.ft.com/content/7cd22551-22cb-4777-8d4d-e79be48f143d?utm_source=chatgpt.com), Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChaPanda?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
- Why Bubble Tea Thrives:
- It's seen as an affordable yet enjoyable indulgence—making it resilient amid economic stress. (Financial Times (https://www.ft.com/content/7cd22551-22cb-4777-8d4d-e79be48f143d?utm_source=chatgpt.com), The New Yorker
(https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-gastronomy/where-the-bubble-tea-industry-has-gone-into-hyperdrive?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
- Innovative branding and deep cultural appeal—including guochao (“national trendy”) aesthetics—have made bubble tea culturally resonant and aspirational. (The New Yorker (https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-gastronomy/where-the-bubble-tea-industry-has-gone-into-hyperdrive?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
- Efficient food-delivery infrastructure in China plays a crucial role in supporting this sector. (The New Yorker (https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-gastronomy/where-the-bubble-tea-industry-has-gone-into-hyperdrive?utm_source=chatgpt.com))
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Summary Table
| Topic | Insight |
|---|---|
| Economic Scale | Bubble tea is now a multi-billion dollar global industry. |
| Fast-Growing Brands | Mixue, Heytea, ChaPanda, and Guming dominate the market. |
| Recent IPOs | Mixue and Guming have gone public, ChaPanda plans to follow suit. |
| Market Expansion | Industry value rose dramatically from 2018 to 2023. |
| Cultural Appeal | Creative branding and cultural identity are major growth drivers. |
| Delivery Ecosystem | Rapid delivery networks fuel high consumer engagement. |
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Final Thoughts
The video highlights how bubble tea has transcended its humble origins to become a powerhouse in the beverage industry. Chinese chains are not just expanding domestically—they’re establishing footprints overseas, backed by investor capital, cultural marketing, and efficient logistics.
Bubble tea's an amazing invention.
I like to drink occasionally.
Prices are too high to drink regularly as compared to traditional kopi c, teh c, etc.
At the Cincinnati Open, Nate Ferguson’s company Priority One handles high-pressure racquet stringing for ATP/WTA players, sometimes mid-match. With up to 30 racquets per day per stringer, the team works from early morning to the last match, adjusting string tension for conditions and player preference. Professionals bring their own strings, often natural gut or polyester. Ferguson, who started in 1986 and has strung for legends like Sampras, Federer, and Djokovic, says the job is stressful but rewarding, with his experienced crew operating like a family under tight deadlines.
SGX added two more Hong Kong SDRs, CATL and Pop Mart, bringing the total to 23. SDRs offer lower brokerage costs, convenience, and diversification by providing access to a wide range of stocks from different sectors. The addition of CATL and Pop Mart broadens the coverage of the Hang Seng Index and the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) 50 Index.
Nice additions.
Will not be adding any into portfolio.
Good for the development of local market.
Historical data shows that when easing cycles aren’t triggered by a systemic crisis, the broader market tends to strengthen, with Technology often emerging as the primary beneficiary. Financials present a more nuanced picture, while sectors like Health Care and Consumer Discretionary often deliver steady post-cut performance. Energy is frequently decoupled from the domestic rate cycle, making its response to Fed easing less predictable.
Looking bullish.
Expecting the unexpected. A pullback of some sort should be happening.
Scoot has introduced a new award chart for KrisFlyer members, allowing fixed-price redemptions starting from 1,500 miles each way. The chart offers two award types: Saver and Advantage, with Saver requiring fewer miles but having limited availability. Award tickets are non-refundable, but date changes are permitted with additional fees.
Scoot has introduced a new award chart for KrisFlyer members, allowing them to redeem flights at fixed rates. This new option complements the existing Miles + Cash system, where the number of miles required varies with the airfare. While the award chart offers better value, availability is limited to a subset of seat inventory.
Excited to redeem KrisFlyer miles for Koh Samui flights again, especially for budget travellers who prefer Scoot.
The killer for me is still the limited selection of available seats.
Need to sit together for practical reasons with a family of 6 people (3 adults, 3 young kids)
Apple Arcade is adding major titles in September, including the exclusive NFL Retro Bowl ’26 and Jeopardy! Daily on Sept 4. NFL Retro Bowl ’26 offers official NFL rosters, retro graphics, and a live Championship Leaderboard tied to the real 2025 season. Jeopardy! Daily delivers authentic clues, daily boards, tournaments, and global leaderboards. On Sept 18, Hello Kitty Island Adventure adds Wheatflour Wonderland with new quests and characters. Other additions include My Talking Tom Friends+, plus big updates to Disney Dreamlight Valley and Mini Motorways. The service costs $6.99/month with 200+ ad-free games.
The article argues that many high-quality mobile games deserve console ports to improve accessibility, preservation, and player experience. While some console games get mobile adaptations, the reverse is rare, leaving many mobile titles trapped on app stores until they're delisted or shut down. Touch controls, hardware limitations, and storage issues make complex mobile games less enjoyable than on consoles with controllers and large screens. Examples like Genshin Impact, Fantasian: Neo Dimension, and Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition show that console ports can expand audiences and save games from disappearing. The author urges developers to overcome the stigma against mobile games and bring more of them to consoles.
McDonald’s Japan ended its PokΓ©mon Happy Meal card giveaway early after overwhelming demand led to chaos, scalping, and massive food waste. Launched 9 Aug 2025 and planned for three days, the promo sold out in under 24 hours despite a five-meal-per-person limit. Fans bought dozens of meals just for the cards, dumping untouched food, sparking arguments, and even police involvement. Packs appeared online at inflated prices, prompting calls for stricter purchase limits to prevent future waste and abuse.
UOB Lady’s Cards give 4 mpd on selected bonus categories (Dining, Family, Fashion, Transport, Travel, Entertainment, Beauty/Wellness) but only 1 category for Lady’s Card (S$1K/month cap) or 2 for Lady’s Solitaire (S$750/category cap, S$1.5K total). Categories can be changed quarterly.
Best picks depend on spend patterns and other cards you own. Dining is broad but has MCC gaps; Family is mainly supermarkets; Transport suits high taxi/petrol spend; Travel caps limit big-ticket use; Entertainment/Beauty are niche. Fashion is powerful via HeyMax vouchers (MCC 5311), covering many merchant types indirectly.
Author’s choice: Dining + Fashion, splitting across principal/supplementary cards to manage caps.