Don't bank on boomerang of SGX-delisted firms

THE tidal wave of delistings that swept over the local stock market in 2016 may be slightly alarming, if it augurs anything for Singapore's domestic market capitalisation trajectory. More are already in the works - for instance, Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri's privatisation offer for Vard, which earlier this week got extended to Jan 12.

Yet there could be some glimmer of hope. Market participants believe next year will see fewer large privatisations, with big ones such as Neptune Orient Lines and SMRT Corp done and dusted. Another interesting point that has been made is that the companies that left Singapore Exchange (SGX) recently - especially those that were bought out by private-equity funds - could eventually boomerang, like prodigal sons, back into the bourse's embrace when it comes time for those funds to exit.

That said, the return of delisted firms is not a given, considering the apparent relative difficulty of an IPO (initial public offering) exit in Singapore and why companies may have left in the first place.