Singapore

JANUARY turned out to be a promising start in the new year for the Singapore Exchange (SGX), with total trading value for securities hitting S$25.3 billion, up 17 per cent from the previous month and 12 per cent year-on-year. Last month's average daily traded value stood at S$1.2 billion, up 22 per cent month-on-month and 12 per cent year-on-year.

The surge came amid a trading boost from the Keppel Corporation bid to take its property subsidiary Keppel Land private, and also coincided with the introduction on Jan 19 of the 100-share board lot. The latter saw early indications of increased retail participation in Straits Times Index stocks, said SGX.