Today’s market is a lot different from Yeo’s student days. The Singapore Exchange (SGX) has been grappling with a host of problems, ranging from a growing number of delistings, as well as low liquidity and valuations. The chronic lethargy eventually prompted a reaction from the government, who set up a review group to recommend measures to revive the local bourse in August 2024. The group, chaired by National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat, published its final report on Nov 19.
Yeo Wee Yong, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS)’s finance department, still remembers how hot the Singapore stock market was when he was studying at NUS in the 1990s.
“Everyone in my class was trading, and we would discuss our trades in class — ‘I made $200 last night.’ ‘I lost $200 last night.’ There was a lot of trading during that time,” Yeo says.
