Shine, market, shine

Market activity finally picked up in 2025, with the positive momentum expected to continue in 2026. Brokers share what’s hot and what’s not

The year 2025 will go down as a vintage year for Singapore market participants find themselves in a better mood as concerted efforts to revive Singapore equities begin to take effect. After years of relatively sluggish market activity and a non-stop stream of delistings, the lion dance troupe is being summoned to the SGX Centre more frequently as more companies go IPO. As the head of a corporate finance firm quipped, brokers who were hesitant to help take up placements are now calling to ask for a piece of the action instead.

One reason for the change was Singapore’s quiet yet clear standing as a stable market and economy. The AI boom seized the imagination of investors of big US and Chinese tech companies. Singapore companies hardly figure directly, but the tiny island still stood out as a source of stability amid broader structural challenges and geopolitical volatility.
“2025 brought about extreme uncertainty. Singapore navigated this whilst offering a premium on certainty,” says Thilan Wickramasinghe of Maybank Securities.

---

Related Stories

• MAS issues prohibition orders on former Citi and Julius Baer RMs convicted for roles in $3 bil money-laundering case
• The STI quietly hit 5,000 in February. This deserves a louder cheer
• Quick Takes: UI Boustead REIT, Gold hub, Higher power bill, China growth target, Crisis in the Middle East

---