To lure the bull, SGX must look beyond the China shop

THE coming trading link between the Hong Kong and Shanghai bourses has triggered much speculation about the competitive pressure that it could create for the Singapore stock market.

Until the link has been up and running for a while, any predictions on that front are pure speculation. But one key lesson can already be divined: Banking on S-chip listings for growth is no longer a viable strategy for Singapore Exchange (SGX).

The Greater China trading tie-up, known formally as Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect, can be interpreted in a few ways.