Seek high-yield blue chips, not bonds

THE rush for yield in Singapore reaches new heights every day, and at first glance, retail investors are losing out.

On Monday, rubber producer Halcyon Agri received orders of over S$2 billion for just S$125 million of its 6.5 per cent 2019 bonds.

On Tuesday, fish supplier Pacific Andes was said to have also received orders of over S$2 billion for just S$200 million of its 8.5 per cent 2017 bonds.

Mid-cap or even small-cap companies can now borrow cheaply from wealthy private bank clients hungry to get a return on their cash piles.

Oil-and-gas firms like Ezion and Swiber, and property plays like As…