Should the S$5 billion EQDP roll-out be slowed amid elevated valuations, global market risks?

[SINGAPORE] If I had a dollar for every time some market watcher has been quoted reciting that old adage about time in the market being more important than timing the market, I might have enough cash to ride through the big sell-off they all seem to be anticipating.

Staying invested in a diversified portfolio of high-quality companies through market cycles is a good idea, of course. And, the relatively high dividend yields offered by constituents of the Straits Times Index (STI) tend to keep them looking attractive to income-focused investors even in the face of potential downturns.

Yet, dividends are just one element of the total return from owning stocks. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, some of the largest components of the STI have charted big gains, driven by the market’s increasingly bullish perception of their ability and willingness to unlock value and grow their businesses.