Singapore, Jan 21, 2026, 14:59 SGT — Regular session
Shares of Yangzijiang Shipbuilding (Holdings) Ltd held steady near S$3.48 by mid-afternoon Wednesday, after falling in the previous two sessions. At 2:48 p.m., the SGX-listed stock last traded at S$3.48, with a session high of S$3.54 and about 9.8 million shares changing hands. 1
The pause stands out because shipbuilders typically react quickly to shifts in global trade volumes and sentiment. This week, fresh tariff talks and a tilt toward safe-haven assets have unsettled both factors, leaving cyclicals directionless.
Yangzijiang fell 1.1% Tuesday after dropping 1.9% the day before, data from SGX via SGinvestors.io showed. Short-selling climbed to about 3.2 million shares on Tuesday, up from 2.6 million on Monday, the numbers indicated. 2
Investors stepped up selling after overseas cues pointed that way. “The ‘sell America’ trade drove major market moves overnight,” said Mantas Vanagas, senior economist at Westpac, as Wall Street dipped and gold hit a fresh peak. 3
Shipping stocks continue to slide after CMA CGM said Tuesday it would reroute vessels on three routes, avoiding the Suez Canal due to “global uncertainties.” This reverses earlier intentions to boost canal traffic, which had been hampered for two years by attacks on ships. 4
Investors are watching closely as competitors ramp up investments to increase shipyard output. Palantir recently struck a major software agreement with South Korea’s HD Hyundai. The partnership reportedly helped HD Hyundai speed up shipbuilding by roughly 30%. Palantir CEO Alex Karp told Reuters he’s “very bullish” on the Korean market. 5
Yangzijiang, a major name in commercial shipbuilding, has stayed quiet this week with no fresh company updates. The stock’s swings are reflecting changes in risk appetite and broader industry news instead of new information from the firm.
The risk is obvious: a harsher trade shock could reduce cargo demand, weigh on new ship orders, and put pressure on yard pricing—just as investors start doubting the longevity of the current order cycle’s profitability.
Traders are focusing on Washington and Davos for now, sidelining earnings reports. President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak at the World Economic Forum this Wednesday, an event markets are watching closely as a potential catalyst for risk appetite. 6
