SG Morning Highlights | Singapore Exchange Sees Surge in Trading Activity Amid Positive Market Factors

Advancers / Decliners is 97 to 29, with 57.86M million securities worth S$74.71M million changing hands.

The recent rate cuts have sparked a significant increase in Singapore's property investment activities, with a 24.8% rise in the third quarter of 2024, totaling $8.3 billion. Knight Frank Singapore reports that this growth was predominantly seen in private sales, which contributed $6.0 billion. The industrial sector experienced the most substantial surge, driven by major acquisitions such as Lendlease and Warburg Pincus’s purchase of industrial properties for $1.6 billion. Meanwhile, the commercial sector also saw a notable increase, highlighted by CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust’s acquisition of a stake in ION Orchard. Conversely, the residential sector witnessed a downturn, with a 24.7% decrease in sales value. This trend underscores the shifting focus of investors towards commercial and industrial assets amid favorable monetary conditions.

Despite being slower in decarbonization efforts compared to larger entities, 47% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are pushed towards green initiatives primarily due to regulatory compliance, as stated by Bain & Company. While only 33% of SMEs have made progress in decarbonization, compared to 80% of non-SMEs, the factors influencing their shift include client demands for sustainable practices (35%) and the potential for cost savings (32%). Challenges such as the lack of resources for dedicated decarbonization staff hinder further progress. Additionally, factors like employee retention and revenue growth seem to have minimal influence on SMEs' decision to decarbonize, with only 4% and 12% motivated by these aspects, respectively.