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From rubber roots to risk management: Singapore’s 60-year mastery of global trades

Today, the Republic acts as a central node for price discovery in key commodities, housing almost 400 international players

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Mia Pei

Mia Pei

Published Fri, Aug 8, 2025 · 02:00 PM
    • The reclamation of Jurong Island in the 2000s created an integrated energy and chemicals cluster that now houses over 100 companies powering regional energy trade.
    • The reclamation of Jurong Island in the 2000s created an integrated energy and chemicals cluster that now houses over 100 companies powering regional energy trade. PHOTO: BT FILE

    Singapore has certainly experienced a remarkable journey from third world to first over the last six decades.

    In this week’s Brunch, we look at some of the sectors that have undergone a significant transformation over the years. We place the spotlight on how the country went from a colonial rubber-trading outpost to one of the world’s most modern commodities powerhouses.

    We also take a trip down memory lane as we revisit the heyday of Singapore’s trading pits and the evolution to electronic trading.

    SingaporeTradeEnergy & CommoditiesoilBig OilOil refiningOil and gasRubberMaritimeBrunch

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