Singapore's STI little changed in early trade on Monday after PAP win at GE2025
As at 9.28am, the Straits Times Index (STI) opened 0.09 per cent, or 3.36 points higher at 3,841.79, on the first trading day after elections.
Across the broader market, gainers outnumbered losers 107 to 79 after 79.8 million securities worth S$134 million changed hands.
On Saturday (May 3), Singaporeans went to the polls and gave the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) an overall share of 65.57 per cent of the votes in GE20205, a stronger show of support than the party's 2020 results of 61.24 per cent. The de facto opposition party, Worker's Party, retained its existing seats, but made no gains.
Market watchers had said the result was likely to have limited impact on the stock market, with the election result offering a welcome signal for investors who value political stability.
In a Monday report, Citi said the PAP's higher vote share marks a return to its traditional 'safe haven' appeal during uncertain times.
'The moderate main opposition, Worker's Party (WP) successfully defended its 10 parliamentary seats, which should allay any potential concerns about a lurch towards populism and attendant fiscal risks,' said the bank.
Despite continued countercyclical accommodative macroeconomic policy mix regardless of the election results, the analysts noted that the stronger mandate secured by the ruling party would likely cement continuity of current government policies.
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Straits Times
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- Straits Times
SG60: How Singapore's SMEs are shaping a sustainable future for Asean
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Second, SMEs need support to build their internal capabilities. Although grants are available to offset the cost of sustainability reporting, these need to be made more accessible and they also need to support capacity building. Finally, SMEs need patient capital to fund their expansion. While the sustainable financing industry is growing, SMEs remain on the periphery of this industry and deserve more attention. Doing our part Even as we advocate for Singapore SMEs, we are conscious of the need to do our part. UOB's FinLab Sustainability Innovation Programme has helped around 1,800 SMEs kickstart their ESG journeys. UOB also offers a free diagnostic tool, called the UOB Sustainability Compass, to help SMEs figure out their starting points; there is also the UOB Sage Programme to help SMEs access sustainability-linked financing. The bank also funded S$7 billion of green trade finance and recorded S$58 billion of sustainable financing last year. These are only small steps in what is a long journey though. If Singapore's first 60 years were about growth and resilience, we strongly believe that its next 20 years must be about leadership – and not just economic leadership, but also leadership in sustainability and inclusion. With the right scaffolding, we believe Singapore's SMEs are transition enablers that can help decarbonise value chains; nature-positive operators that safeguard our environment; and economic multipliers that help every member of the workforce step up into a greener economy.
Straits Times
a few seconds ago
- Straits Times
SG60: Designing progress, the Singapore way
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As part of our ongoing Nation by Design campaign, DesignSingapore Council has invited 60 individuals across business, creative and public sectors to share how design – and a sense of creative courage – has shaped their work and outlook. What emerged was a consistent theme: Design is identified as a strategic advantage. It allows organisation leaders and decision-makers to sharpen their value proposition, and apply problem-solving by design to make an impact in a fast-changing world. Design for purpose, not just performance A great example is Singapore's largest bank, DBS. Design and innovation are core to how the bank reimagines experience for customers, its people and systems. From simplifying everyday transactions to rethinking how customers manage their finances, DBS puts usability, trust and transparency at the heart of its service. The results speak for themselves: DBS was the first Asian bank to be recognised as World's Best Bank several years running. 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Straits Times
31 minutes ago
- Straits Times
SG60: Singapore transformed
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