logo
April new home sales dip 9% month on month to 663 units, but are double year-ago levels

April new home sales dip 9% month on month to 663 units, but are double year-ago levels

Business Times15-05-2025

[SINGAPORE] Developers in Singapore sold 663 private homes in April, down 9 per cent from the month before, but up 120 per cent from the 301 units moved a year earlier, data released by the Urban Redevelopment Authority showed on Thursday (May 15).
Analysts attributed the month-on-month decline to the macroeconomic uncertainties brought on by US President Donald Trump's tariffs, which dampened consumers' sentiment.
However, ERA Singapore's chief executive Marcus Chu noted that the housing market remains stable even amid ongoing global uncertainty.
'Singapore's property market has continued to show resilience, supported by the mid-to-long-term outlook held by most domestic buyers. This remains a significant factor in keeping local buying activity grounded in actual housing needs, as opposed to speculative demand,' he said.
Sales were driven by two major launches in city-fringe locations in the Rest of Central Region last month – Bloomsbury Residences at Media Circle and One Marina Gardens in Marina South. The two projects made up almost three-quarters of total sales in April.
Huttons Asia's senior director of data analytics Lee Sze Teck noted that 21 Anderson, an ultra-luxury residential non-landed project, sold three units last month for more than S$60 million in total, with one unit going for S$5,127 per square foot.
'Being able to achieve these prices is a reflection of the confidence the ultra-high-net-worth individuals have in Singapore's ultra-luxury homes and Singapore's status as a safe haven in times of instability,' he said.
Including executive condominiums, 759 units were sold in April with 1,344 units launched, versus 363 units sold and 278 units launched in the same month in 2024. In comparison, 1,510 units were sold and 1,315 units were launched in March 2025.
Singaporeans made up 85.5 per cent of buyers in April 2025, while permanent residents accounted for 12 per cent, said Lee.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Iran demands 'guarantee' US will lift sanctions in nuclear talks
Iran demands 'guarantee' US will lift sanctions in nuclear talks

Straits Times

time9 minutes ago

  • Straits Times

Iran demands 'guarantee' US will lift sanctions in nuclear talks

Regardless of whether a deal is struck between the two nations, Iran has vowed to continue enriching uranium. PHOTO: REUTERS Iran demands 'guarantee' US will lift sanctions in nuclear talks TEHRAN - Iran urged the US on June 2 to provide a formal guarantee that it will lift sanctions in ongoing talks on the Islamic republic's nuclear programme. 'We want to guarantee that the sanctions are effectively lifted,' foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a news conference in Tehran. 'So far, the American side has not wanted to clarify this issue,' he added. His remarks come a day after a report by a United Nations agency showed Iran has stepped up production of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent – close to the roughly 90 per cent level needed for atomic weapons. The US envoy in the nuclear talks said last month that the administration of President Donald Trump would oppose any enrichment. 'An enrichment programme can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. That's our red line. No enrichment,' Mr Steve Witkoff told Breitbart News. Iran has vowed to keep enriching uranium 'with or without a deal' on its nuclear programme. The US has sent Iran a proposal for a nuclear deal that the White House called 'acceptable' and in its 'best interest' to accept, US media reported on May 31. The New York Times, citing officials familiar with the diplomatic exchanges, said the proposal calls on Iran to stop all enrichment and suggests creating a regional grouping to produce nuclear power. Iran has held five rounds of talks with the US in search of a new agreement to replace the deal with major powers that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

How Trump's trade war is upending the global economy, World News
How Trump's trade war is upending the global economy, World News

AsiaOne

time2 hours ago

  • AsiaOne

How Trump's trade war is upending the global economy, World News

US President Donald Trump's tariff decisions since he took office on Jan 20 have shocked financial markets and sent a wave of uncertainty through the global economy. Here is a timeline of the major developments: Feb 1 - Trump imposes 25 per cent tariffs on Mexican and most Canadian imports and 10 per cent on goods from China, demanding they curb the flow of fentanyl and illegal immigrants into the United States. Feb 3 - Trump suspends his threat of tariffs on Mexico and Canada, agreeing to a 30-day pause in return for concessions on border and crime enforcement. The US does not reach such a deal with China. Feb 7 - Trump delays tariffs on de minimis, or low-cost, packages from China until the Commerce Department can confirm that procedures and systems are in place to process them and collect tariff revenue. Feb 10 - Trump raises tariffs on steel and aluminium to a flat 25 per cent "without exceptions or exemptions". March 3 - Trump says 25 per cent tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada will take effect from March 4 and doubles fentanyl-related tariffs on all Chinese imports to 20 per cent. March 5 - The president agrees to delay tariffs for one month on some vehicles built in Canada and Mexico after a call with the CEOs of General Motors and Ford and the chair of Stellantis. March 6 - Trump exempts goods from Canada and Mexico under a North American trade pact for a month from the 25 per cent tariffs. March 26 - Trump unveils a 25 per cent tariff on imported cars and light trucks. April 2 - Trump announces global tariffs with a baseline of 10 per cent across all imports and significantly higher duties on some of the US' biggest trading partners. April 9 - Trump pauses for 90 days most of his country-specific tariffs that kicked in less than 24 hours earlier following an upheaval in financial markets that erased trillions of dollars from bourses around the world. The 10 per cent blanket duty on almost all US imports stays in place. Trump says he will raise the tariff on Chinese imports to 125 per cent from the 104 per cent level that took effect a day earlier. This pushes the extra duties on Chinese goods to 145 per cent, including the fentanyl-related tariffs imposed earlier. April 13 - The US administration grants exclusions from steep tariffs on smartphones, computers and some other electronics imported largely from China. April 22 - The Trump administration launches national security probes under Section 232 of the Trade Act of 1962 into imports of both pharmaceuticals and semiconductors as part of a bid to impose tariffs on both sectors. May 4 - Trump imposes a 100 per cent tariff on all movies produced outside the US May 9 - Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announce a limited bilateral trade agreement that leaves in place 10 per cent tariffs on British exports, modestly expands agricultural access for both countries and lowers prohibitive US duties on British car exports. May 12 - The US and China agree to temporarily slash reciprocal tariffs. Under the 90-day truce, the US will cut the extra tariffs it imposed on Chinese imports to 30 per cent from 145 per cent, while China's duties on US imports will be slashed to 10 per cent from 125 per cent. May 13 - The US cuts the low value "de minimis" tariff on China shipments, reducing duties for items valued at up to $800 to 54 per cent from 120 per cent. May 23 - Trump says he is recommending a straight 50 per cent tariff on goods from the European Union starting on June 1. He also warned Apple it would face 25 per cent tariff if phones it sold in the US were manufactured outside of the country. May 25 - Trump backpedals on his threat to slap 50 per cent tariffs on imports from the EU, agreeing to extend the deadline for talks between the US and the block until July 9. May 28 - A US trade court blocked Trump's tariffs from going into effect in a sweeping ruling that the president overstepped his authority by imposing across-the-board duties on imports from US trade partners. The Trump administration said it would appeal the ruling. May 29 - A federal appeals court temporarily reinstates the most sweeping of Trump's tariffs, saying it was pausing the lower court's ruling to consider the government's appeal, and ordered the plaintiffs in the cases to respond by June 5 and the administration by June 9. May 30 - At a rally in Pennsylvania, Trump says he plans to increase tariffs on imported steel and aluminium to 50 per cent from 25 per cent. [[nid:718546]]

China rejects Trump's accusation that it breached Geneva trade deal, World News
China rejects Trump's accusation that it breached Geneva trade deal, World News

AsiaOne

time3 hours ago

  • AsiaOne

China rejects Trump's accusation that it breached Geneva trade deal, World News

China said on Monday (June 2) that US President Donald Trump's accusations that Beijing had violated the consensus reached in Geneva trade talks were "groundless", and promised to take forceful measures to safeguard its interests. The comment by the commerce ministry was in response to Trump's remarks on Friday that China had breached a bilateral deal to roll back tariffs. The ministry said China had implemented and actively upheld the agreement reached last month in Geneva, while the US had introduced multiple "discriminatory restrictive" measures against China. Those measures included issuing guidance on AI chip export controls, halting sales of chip design software to China and revoking visas for Chinese students, the ministry added. "The US government has unilaterally and repeatedly provoked new economic and trade frictions, exacerbating uncertainty and instability in bilateral economic and trade relations," the ministry said in a statement. It did not elaborate on what forceful measures it might take in response. Beijing and Washington agreed in mid-May in Geneva to pause triple-digit tariffs for 90 days. In addition, China also promised to lift trade countermeasures that restricted its exports of the critical metals needed for US semiconductor, electronics and defence production. Trump on Friday also announced a doubling of import tariffs on steel and aluminium to 50 per cent. While China is the world's largest steel producer and exporter, it ships very little to the United States after a 25 per cent tariff imposed in 2018 shut most Chinese steel out of the market. China ranks third among aluminium suppliers. [[nid:717864]]

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store