NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 09:12 ET — Market closed.
- Singapore Exchange shares last rose 0.5% to S$17.05 on Jan 2
- Singapore reported 4.8% GDP growth for 2025, its fastest since 2021
- Focus shifts to January policy signals and early-year trading activity
Singapore Exchange Ltd shares ended 0.5% higher at S$17.05 on Friday, the first trading day of 2026, after Singapore reported stronger-than-expected economic growth for 2025.
The move matters because SGX’s earnings are closely tied to market activity — when stocks and derivatives (contracts that derive value from an underlying asset such as an index) trade more, the exchange typically collects more fees.
Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry said the economy grew 4.8% in 2025 and 5.7% in the fourth quarter, driven by strength in biomedical manufacturing and electronics linked to AI-related demand.
Broader risk appetite also improved. The Straits Times Index rose 0.2% on Jan 2 as markets reopened after New Year, with 1.8 billion securities worth S$958.3 million changing hands, The Business Times reported.
SGX traded between S$16.96 and S$17.14 on Friday, with 916,600 shares changing hands, according to the company’s historical stock data.
OCBC chief economist Selena Ling said the 2025 outcome “marked a significant upward revision from earlier forecasts,” pointing to resilient external demand and broad-based gains across key sectors. The Business Times
The GDP surprise also sharpened the debate about how fast growth can cool this year. MTI projected 2026 growth of 1% to 3%, and Reuters reported Prime Minister Lawrence Wong cautioned the 2025 pace may be hard to sustain.
For SGX, investors have been weighing the lift from higher trading volumes against a still-challenging listings backdrop, after the exchange cited improving IPO preparations in earlier results.
What traders are watching next is whether the growth momentum keeps flowing into equities and hedging demand, especially as January data and central bank guidance shape rate expectations and volatility — both key drivers of derivatives turnover.
Before the next session, attention turns to follow-through in Singapore equities when trading resumes on Monday, and whether banks and REITs — heavyweight sectors in the benchmark — continue to draw flows after Friday’s advance.
Investors will also track the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s next policy review later this month, a key signpost for local financial conditions as growth normalises from 2025’s pace.
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