SGX needs to engage brokers in bid to revive market

THE Singapore Exchange (SGX) must be applauded for trying to revive a somewhat moribund equity market.

Cutting board-lots, boosting minimum trading price for mainboard stocks, providing value-added products such as SGX Stockfacts and even adding market makers/liquidity providers will go some way towards shoring up a market where liquidity is at a multi-year low, interest is sagging, commissions are suffering and brokers are either looking for other sources of income or simply moving on.

The SGX's own figures tell a dismal story.

Securities market turnover fell 21 per cent in the financial year ended June 30, 2014, to S$286 billion - the lowest turnover since fiscal 2006, when the size of t…