MONEY MASTER

Key Takeaways Wall Street closed at fresh record highs , supported by easing US-Iran tensions and a rebound in technology stocks. Maybank Research raised Singapore's 2026 GDP forecast to 4.6% , citing sustained AI-driven strength in manufacturing and semiconductors. Singapore equities opened lower , with investors locking in gains despite an improving economic outlook. DBS lowered Multiplier Account interest rates , reflecting a softer interest rate environment. CapitaLand Ascott Trust, Keppel Infrastructure Trust and Yangzijiang Financial  reported positive corporate developments, offering stock-specific opportunities. Market Overview Singapore shares opened modestly lower on Tuesday, even as global risk appetite improved following another record-setting session on Wall Street. The  Straits Times Index (STI)  slipped  0.49% , with investors taking a cautious stance after recent gains. In the US, the  Dow Jones Industrial Average  closed at a fresh all-time...

Singapore equities opened firmer on Tuesday as global risk sentiment improved, tracking Wall Street’s rebound driven by renewed confidence in a Federal Reserve rate cut next month. Gains across large-cap tech helped lift US benchmarks sharply, while Singapore’s latest inflation print surprised to the upside, signalling that domestic cost pressures may be re-emerging. Wall Street: Tech-Led Rally as Rate-Cut Odds Jump US stocks surged overnight, with the S&P 500 reclaiming the 6,700 level and tech outperforming after traders boosted expectations for a December rate cut. CME FedWatch now places the probability of a 25-basis-point reduction at nearly 77%. AI-linked names powered the rebound. •  Alphabet  jumped 6.3% to a record high after upbeat reaction to its Gemini 3 AI update. •  Broadcom, Micron and AMD  gained between 5% and 11%. •  Tesla  climbed 6.8% after Elon Musk unveiled the company’s completed in-house chip designs for autos and data centres. F...

Market Snapshot Singapore shares opened higher on Friday, mirroring Wall Street’s overnight rally. FTSE STI : 4,365.83 (+0.23%) Volume / Value : 81.55M / S$100.94M Advancers / Decliners : 132 / 31 In the US, major indexes closed at record highs as inflation and jobs data fueled optimism for rate cuts. The Dow climbed 1.4% to 46,108, the S&P 500 added 0.9% to 6,587.47, while the Nasdaq rose 0.7% to 22,043.07. The Labor Department reported 263,000 new unemployment claims, the highest since October 2021, while CPI rose 2.9% in August, in line with forecasts. Traders are now fully pricing in a Fed rate cut at next week’s policy meeting. Singapore Leads APAC in FDI Appeal Singapore has emerged as the most attractive foreign direct investment (FDI) destination in Asia-Pacific, according to Bloomberg. Key draws include political stability, tax incentives, innovation capacity, and market access. 62% of investors  expressed increased confidence in Singapore. AI and advanced technology ...

  Key Highlights: Net Income:  S$287 million for 1H 2025, down  13%  YoY Revenue:  S$1.04 billion, down  24%  YoY but slightly above analyst estimates Capital Recycled:  S$584 million so far this year, mostly from divestments China Exposure:  Currently 26% of funds under management (FUM); target  15-20%  by 2028 Details: CapitaLand Investment Ltd, backed by  Temasek Holdings , reported a sharp drop in first-half profit as it struggled with slow asset divestments amid  global uncertainty , muted deal-making, and weakness in key markets like China. The decline was attributed to: Loss of contributions from divested assets Absence of a one-off tax write-back recorded in 2024 Weaker fund performance and lower transaction fees Funds under management fell slightly to  S$116 billion  at end-1H 2025 from  S$117 billion  in Q1. China Strategy & Challenges: Rents fell across all sectors in China Plans to ...

Despite persistent headwinds from elevated interest rates and inflationary pressure, a few Singapore-listed REITs have continued to demonstrate resilience—preserving capital, sustaining distributions, and repositioning for long-term growth. Investors eyeing stability with upside potential may want to take a closer look at these three outperformers in the S-REIT landscape. 1. Mapletree Industrial Trust (SGX: ME8U) AUM:  S$9.1 billion |  Portfolio:  141 properties across Singapore, the US, and Japan Mapletree Industrial Trust (MIT) continues to prove its mettle, supported by sponsor Mapletree Investments (S$80.3B AUM). For FY2025, MIT posted a 2.1% revenue increase to S$711.8M, with NPI at S$531.5M (+2%) and a slight DPU rise to 13.57 cents (+1%). Despite North American data centre vacancies, the REIT is managing re-letting and asset repositioning effectively. The May 2025 divestment of three Singapore assets for S$535.3M helped lower leverage from 40.1% to 37%, while impro...

CapitaLand Investment Ltd, one of Asia’s largest property investors, has flagged potential losses as it works to reduce its exposure to China’s troubled real estate market. The Singapore-based firm plans to cut its China exposure to 10-20% of its targeted S$200 billion in funds under management by 2028. Currently, 27% of its S$113 billion portfolio is tied to China. This transition could result in “fair value or divestment losses” that impact its near-to-medium-term earnings , the company said during its Investor Day presentation on Friday. Key Points China Exposure Reduction: CapitaLand aims to decrease reliance on China, citing years-long real estate downturns that have hurt investments in office space and malls. Current Divestment Progress: Of the S$4.6 billion in divestments this year, most assets sold were in Singapore and Japan , with limited sales in China. Target Adjustments: The company plans to divest about S$1 billion in China this year, but as of early November, o...

  CapitaLand Investment (CLI) has secured a capital commitment of S$261 million from Mitsui OSK Lines, a new Japanese partner, for its Southeast Asia and India private funds. This includes S$130 million for the CapitaLand SEA Logistics Fund (CSLF), CLI's inaugural logistics fund in Southeast Asia, bringing CSLF's total equity to S$400 million. Additionally, Mitsui OSK Lines has committed S$131 million to CLI's India business parks development fund. These investments aim to enhance CLI's logistics and business park portfolios in the respective regions.

The Singapore stock market has posted gains for three consecutive sessions, advancing almost 80 points or 2.3% in that period. The Straits Times Index (STI) now sits just above the 3,530-point level and is expected to extend its gains again on Thursday. The global forecast for Asian markets is positive, supported by optimism over the outlook for interest rates. While European markets showed mixed results, U.S. markets were up, suggesting that Asian markets are likely to follow the positive lead from the U.S. On Wednesday, the STI finished modestly higher, buoyed by gains in financial shares, property stocks, and industrial issues . The index added 18.50 points or 0.52% to close at 3,531.17 , after trading between 3,517.56 and 3,536.12 . Active Stocks and Movements Among the actively traded stocks: CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust spiked 1.42% . CapitaLand Investment surged 2.15% . City Developments rose 0.19% . ComfortDelGro gained 0.68% . DBS Group collected 0.30% . ...

  CapitaLand Investment Ltd has announced plans to sell its 50% stake in Singapore’s high-end ION Orchard mall to CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (CICT), a real estate investment trust it backs, as part of an asset-light growth strategy. The sale is valued at approximately S$1.85 billion (US$1.40 billion or RM6.18 billion). Key Details of the Transaction: Divestment Strategy : CapitaLand Investment, which holds a 24% stake in CICT, aims to reduce assets on its balance sheet by divesting its 50% interest in ION Orchard. The move aligns with its strategy to achieve asset-light growth. CICT, Singapore's largest REIT by market capitalization, will acquire the stake for about S$1.1 billion after adjusting for other factors. The REIT plans to finance the acquisition through the net proceeds from an equity fundraising. Transaction Completion and Impact : The transaction requires the approval of CICT’s non-interested unitholders and is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter ...