Stocks

Stocks rise, oil pares gain after report of ceasefire talks between US, Iran

STOCKS rose and crude oil pared gains on Monday (Apr 6) as investors cautiously returned to equities, encouraged by indications the Iran-US conflict may be contained.

The combined moves have put a traditional “60-40” portfolio of 60% equities and 40% bonds on track for the worst month since September 2022.

Iran shock leaves investors ‘nowhere to hide’ as stocks and bonds slump

Even gold has tumbled as investors rush to liquidate previously winning trades

While the theoretical S&P 500 grew US$1 into US$333 between 1926 and 1986, a realistic mutual fund return for that same period would have been only US$137.
INSIGHTS FROM CFA SOCIETY SINGAPORE

Your portfolio isn’t a century-old magical compounding machine

The lived experience of real-world investors is a gauntlet of taxes, fees and the need to spend money

When someone does actually sound the alarm over a legitimate threat to our well-being from AI, nobody will hear it since we might have collectively tuned out by then.
THINKING ALOUD

If everything is an AI crisis, then nothing is

Beware the absurd tyranny of what-if scenarios

Iran accounts for about 2% of global oil output and the Strait of Hormuz facilitates 31% of the Middle East’s crude exports.

From ST Engineering, SIA to shipping: What stands to gain or lose from the Iran conflict?

Investors are differentiating between sectors facing immediate operational headwinds and those finding structural support in the flight to safety

Are the market gains seen in February built on durable fundamentals or, to borrow a famous phrase from former US Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan, on “irrational exuberance"?
THINKING ALOUD

Dow at 50,000, STI at 5,000, Singtel at S$5 – what’s next?

Bullish investors beware: record highs and the breaching of psychological barriers tend to lead to an underpricing of risk

The US’ benchmark S&P 500 index is now slightly negative on the year, bobbing tediously higher and lower in an unusually tight range since late December 2025.
THE BOTTOM LINE

The death of the Trump trade

Investor backlash against US markets appears to be real

The country’s benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange Composite Index rallied on Feb 11 to hit 6,543.35 points, from a six-year low of 5,584.34 in November last year.

Philippine equities start the year hot, but can they overcome scandal and slump?

The undervalued benchmark index could rebound from a five-year low to hit 7,100 this year, says analyst

The Securities and Exchange Board of India has also asked the exchanges to upgrade their technology before entering the equity segment.

India regulator stalls new exchanges’ entry into options market

The board will not grant permission to launch derivatives until there is a satisfactory underlying liquid cash market

The benchmark Jakarta Composite Index fell over 4 per cent in early trading on Monday after sliding nearly 7 per cent last week, its steepest drop in a year.

Indonesian stocks fall 5% after last week’s dramatic shake-up, US$80 billion rout

Foreigners have sold around US$736 million worth of shares since Wednesday