Issue #25: What’s Happening This Week? BLACKPINK Visa Presale Announcement, Mandai SG60 Deals, New Shariah-Compliant Portfolios, and More

This week’s all about big moves and bold returns—from BLACKPINK lighting up the National Stadium to Arta launching sleek, Shariah-compliant portfolios for the faith-led investor. Fresh grads from private unis are facing a tougher job hunt, even as starting pay nudges upward.

Over at Mandai, SG60 celebrations mean discounted zoo passes, up-close animal encounters, and even VR penguin adventures.

Whether you’re eyeing the markets, planning your next wild day out, or just here for the K-pop news, here are 6 quick stories worth your time. Let’s dive in.

TLDR; BLACKPINK returns to Singapore in November with early ticket access for Visa cardholders. Mandai celebrates SG60 with zoo ticket deals, senior perks, and new wildlife experiences. Fewer private uni grads land full-time jobs in 2024, but salaries see a modest rise. Arta launches customisable Shariah-compliant portfolios for faith-aligned global investors. Silver gains shine as industrial demand grows and investors seek gold alternatives. More employers in Singapore turn to flexible, contract hires amid evolving workforce needs.

Want more details? Let’s dive in.

Psst, missed last week’s issue? View all past editions of What’s Happening This Week? to catch up.

 

BLACKPINK returns to Singapore this November with Deadline world tour

 

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A post shared by Live Nation SG (@livenationsg)

Singapore Blinks, get ready—BLACKPINK is back. The iconic K-pop girl group will light up the National Stadium on 29 and 30 November 2025 as part of their new Deadline world tour.

This marks their first global tour since Born Pink (2022–2023), and fans are already buzzing. From Jennie’s Coachella solo to Lisa’s acting debut in The White Lotus, the members have been on fire—but now, they’re reuniting to take on the world.

Here in Singapore, expect high demand. The last time they performed here, they played to 50,000 fans each night. Tickets will be available via Ticketmaster, with presale options offering early-bird advantages.

Blackpink Singapore 2025: Ticket sales timeline

Ticket Tier	Date & Time	Who It’s For / How to Access
Weverse BLINK presale	10 June (Tue), 11 am – 1159 pm	Registered BLINK MEMBERSHIP holders (Global)—register by 1 Jun 2025, 1059 pm
Visa Infinite presale	11 June (Wed), 11 am – 2 pm	Visa Infinite cardholders (use your card to pay)
Visa cardholders presale	11 June (Wed), 4 pm – 1159 pm	All Visa cardholders  (use your card to pay)
Changi Rewards presale	12 June (Thu), 11 am – 1159 pm	Spend $200+ in eligible outlets to qualify
General sales	13 June (Fri), 11 am onwards	Open to all via Ticketmaster

Where: National Stadium, 1 Stadium Drive
When: 29 and 30 November 2025, 7pm

Blinks, mark your calendars—and if you’ve got a Visa card, this might be the perfect time to use it for early access to the hottest K-pop event of the year. A Visa Infinite card like the Standard Chartered Visa Infinite Credit Card will come in especially useful, as you get dibs before other Visa cardholders.

Otherwise, there’s no shortage of other Visa credit cards to choose from. Favourites include the UOB One Card, which offers up to 10% cashback at merchants like McDonald’s, Grab and Shopee, and the HSBC Live+ Card, which rewards you with up to 8% cashback on dining, shopping and entertainment.

 

Zoo deals and wild encounters as Mandai celebrates SG60

 

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A post shared by Mandai Wildlife Reserve (@mandaiwildlifereserve)

Singapore Zoo fans, you’re in for a treat! As part of the SG60 celebrations, Mandai Wildlife Group is rolling out exclusive deals and up-close animal experiences under its Mandai Is Wild About SG campaign.

Here’s what locals can look forward to:

• SG60 WildPass Specials
  • 2 tickets to Singapore Zoo or River Wonders for $60 (U.P. $98)
  • Or 3 tickets for those aged 13–21, also for $60
  • Valid till 31 Aug 2025
• Membership offers
  • Get a Friend of Rainforest Wild Asia individual membership for $60 (with any valid park ticket) – from 31 May to 31 Aug
  • Seniors (60+) can renew the Friends of Mandai 5-park pass for just $60 (U.P. $235)
• New animal encounters
  • Say hello to capybaras, fennec foxes, and lemurs from 7 Jun
  • Penguin encounters at Bird Paradise and a VR penguin film from 18 Jul
  • Wallaby edition at Night Safari coming later this year

Visitors can also access themed digital trails and pick up a limited-edition SG60 memento. It’s the perfect time to rediscover Mandai—with perks that are wild at heart.

 

Fewer private uni grads landing full-time jobs, but pay nudges upward

The job market has tightened for fresh graduates from private education institutions in Singapore, with less than half securing full-time roles in 2024. Only 46.4% landed permanent jobs—down from 58.7% last year—according to the latest graduate employment survey by SkillsFuture Singapore.

Here’s what else stood out:

• 74.8% of private uni grads were employed in some form (full-time, part-time, or freelance), a dip from 83.2% previously.
• Part-time or temporary employment rose to 24.2%, with a notable increase in involuntary roles.
• Median starting salaries saw a small boost, reaching $3,500 (up from $3,400). Grads from Parkway College and SIM were among the highest earners.

By comparison:

• Autonomous university grads had stronger outcomes, with 79.5% in full-time roles and a median salary of $4,500.
• Polytechnic grads post-NS earned $3,000 on average, with 65.2% in full-time roles.

Tougher hiring conditions aside, grads from tech and science-related degrees still saw better-than-average pay—something to consider for those planning their study paths.

 

Arta unveils customisable Shariah-compliant portfolios for faith-aligned investing

Arta has launched a first-of-its-kind suite of Shariah-compliant investment portfolios, offering a modern take on faith-based investing with flexibility, transparency, and tech-driven tools. The launch, announced on 27 May, opens access to accredited investors and financial institutions worldwide via Arta’s platform.

The portfolios are designed as “satellite strategies”—essentially themed, customisable baskets of stocks certified by the Financial Shariah Advisory & Consultancy (FSAC) in Singapore. These mini-ETFs target areas like AI, cybersecurity, and dividend income, while complying with global Islamic finance standards.

Highlights include:

• FATMAA: Exposure to U.S. tech giants in AI and cloud infrastructure
• Architects of AI: Enterprise and infrastructure AI players
• Cybersecurity & Digital Protection: Firms safeguarding the digital world
• Dividend Leaders: Stable, income-generating Shariah-compliant stocks

Investors can tweak allocations, exclude specific stocks, and view performance analytics via the Arta app. Assets are held at BNY Pershing, and liquidity is available within 3–5 days. With low minimums and transparent fees, this marks a step forward for inclusive, value-aligned investing.

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ALSO READ: What is Halal Investment? A Guide to Singapore’s Buzzing Islamic Finance Scene

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Silver shines as investors chase value amid gold’s record highs

Silver is getting its moment in the spotlight—thanks to soaring industrial demand and investors looking for alternatives to pricey gold. Often seen as the “poor man’s gold”, silver has gained around 14% in 2025 so far, with a 2-year return of 20.3%.

What’s driving the surge? A few things:

• Industrial use accounts for around 60% of global silver demand, especially in fast-growing sectors like EVs, semiconductors and solar panels.
• With gold hitting record prices, silver is increasingly attractive to investors priced out of the gold market.
• The current gold-to-silver ratio sits at 100—meaning silver looks historically cheap.

Big buyers have taken notice too. Vault operators like The Reserve report clients purchasing entire containers of silver for long-term storage.

Still, silver isn’t without its risks. It’s more volatile than gold, and demand could dip if economic growth slows. But for now, many see silver tracking gold’s upward path—especially as a hedge against uncertainty in a wobbly global economy.

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ALSO READ: Gold Prices Hit Record High—How to Invest in Gold in Singapore (2025)

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More firms in Singapore turning to contract and flexible hires

Hiring’s heating up in Singapore—but not in the way you might expect. While 42% of employers say they plan to hire more permanent staff in the first half of 2025, there’s a growing trend towards non-traditional employment: 31% of businesses are upping their reliance on contract, freelance, and flexi-work hires—more than double the rate in 2024.

The shift is largely driven by SMEs aiming for flexibility, new skill sets, and growth, according to Jobstreet by SEEK’s latest Hiring, Compensation and Benefits report.

Other highlights from the study:

• Bonuses and pay raises stayed steady, though slightly fewer companies offered salary increases and promotions in 2024.
• Flexible work perks like mental health days and extra parental leave saw a bump in popularity.
• AI literacy is increasingly seen as a must-have—54% of employers consider it in hiring, but only 15% have adopted AI tools themselves.
• Top job functions in demand: admin & HR, accounting, sales, customer service, and marketing.

 

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About the author

Vanessa Nah likes her finance articles the way she likes her sitcoms—light-hearted, entertaining, and leaving people knowing a little more about life. She believes money—like life—should be made simple. Outside of work, you’ll find Vanessa attending dance classes, fingerpicking a guitar, and fulfilling her life mission to make her one-eyed cat the most spoiled kitty in the world.