The stability of the Singapore dollar

COMPARED with the currencies of neighbouring countries, the Singapore dollar is relatively stable, making the city-state ideal for Asean-focused companies to list.

To get a gauge of the impact of currency volatility on equity returns, we compared the percentage change in various equity indices over the last six months when measured in local currency terms with the percentage change in US dollar terms. The table shows the difference between the local currency and US dollar returns of key indices for the various regional share markets.

The data shows that Singapore's share market measures up well against most regional markets in US dollar terms. The reduced currency risks therefore make Singapore an attractive place for companies to list and also for investors with an appetite for regional exposure.