Singapore stocks aren’t boring anymore — here’s the proof

For years, Singapore equities carried a reputation as the safe, boring dividend play, the kind of market you park money in rather than get excited about. But beneath that reputation, something has genuinely shifted. Liquidity has improved, research coverage is expanding into previously ignored small and mid-cap names, and global allocators who once overlooked Singapore entirely are now asking pointed questions about what they have been missing.

In this episode of Money Hacks, a podcast from The Business Times, Howie Lim speaks with Daniel Lau, portfolio manager at Eastspring Investments, about why the Singapore market of today looks nothing like it did three years ago, and why treating it as a pure dividend play means missing a real growth story.

Why listen

• Why the EQDP programme is changing Singapore’s market structure SGX has nearly doubled its investable stocks and is targeting a further jump in average daily traded value. Daniel explains what that liquidity shift actually means for the opportunities available today.

• Why a 50/50 mix of Singapore equities and the S&P 500 outperforms either alone  Eastspring ran the numbers. Lau explains why that balance improves returns and lowers risk, and why a US tech heavy portfolio is more concentrated than most investors realise.

• Why the real growth story is hiding in small and mid-cap names outside the STI  With over 60 per cent of SGX-listed stocks barely covered by analysts, Lau explains why primary research and boots-on-the-ground work matter more here than almost anywhere else in Asia.

• Why resilience recovers faster than high-octane bets  A portfolio that falls 50 per cent needs to double just to break even. Lau makes the case for why boring, in investing, is often the smarter long-term strategy.

The Singapore market global allocators are suddenly curious about is not the one most retail investors think they know. This episode explains why. Listen now.

Discover more episodes at bt.sg/podcasts. Got feedback? Email us at btpodcasts@sph.com.sg.

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Written and hosted by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg)

With Daniel Lau, portfolio manager, Eastspring Investments

Edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro

Produced by: Howie Lim & Chai Pei Chieh

A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media

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