SINGAPORE, Feb 19, 2026, 22:33 SGT — Market shut its doors for the day.
- The STI in Singapore climbed 1.3% to hit 5,001.56, while the iEdge Singapore Next 50 was up 0.6%.
- Yangzijiang Shipbuilding jumped 4.9%, while Mapletree Logistics Trust slipped 1.5%.
- Wall Street’s tech stocks bounced around, while oil prices reacted to U.S.-Iran friction and traders parsed fresh rate clues from the Fed.
Singapore’s Straits Times Index (STI) jumped 1.3% to finish at 5,001.56 on Thursday, while the iEdge Singapore Next 50 Index added 0.6%.
After the holiday pause, Singapore and a handful of other regional exchanges reopened on this day. Activity in Asia remained patchy, as Lunar New Year closures lingered over parts of the region.
Signals from abroad sent a muddled message: Nvidia’s agreement to provide AI chips to Meta Platforms injected some optimism into tech, but oil was up as traders eyed U.S.-Iran strains. Brent crude hovered near $71 a barrel, with gold not quite reaching $5,000 an ounce. Rabobank strategist Michael Every pointed out that “the balance of risks now tilts to a U.S. strike after market close Friday.” Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, added, “Rising U.S.-Iran tensions are adding a layer of uncertainty, and we’re already seeing that play out in higher oil prices.” Reuters
The dollar stuck close to its recent highs, after minutes from the Federal Reserve revealed officials aren’t eager to lower rates—and some even left the door open to further hikes should inflation remain stubborn.
Gainers led decliners 316 to 142 on the Singapore Exchange, with turnover at 1.4 billion securities for a total value of S$2.1 billion. Over in Japan, the Nikkei booked a 0.6% rise, Kospi in South Korea surged 3.1%, and Malaysia’s KLCI notched up 0.6%, helped by a bounce in US tech stocks. “Economic data signalling the continued buoyancy of AI-related capital expenditures is propelling animal spirits on Wall Street,” Interactive Brokers economist Jose Torres observed. Yangzijiang Shipbuilding rallied 4.9% to S$3.64, topping the STI. Among the banks, DBS picked up 1.3% to close at S$57.62, OCBC advanced 2.3% to S$21.59, UOB edged up 0.7% to S$38.66. On the downside, Mapletree Logistics Trust, the REIT, slipped 1.5% to S$1.28. The Business Times
U.S. stock futures slipped, giving back some of the gains from the tech rally—a sign that traders are still debating how soon AI investment will actually show up in company revenues. “So on any given day, the bias switches very fast and that’s a great indicator of overall investor nervousness,” said Kim Forrest, founder and chief investment officer at Bokeh Capital. The personal consumption expenditures report, the Fed’s preferred inflation measure, lands on Friday. Reuters
Still, Singapore’s rally faces hurdles: if oil keeps climbing or fresh U.S. numbers drive bond yields up again, the gains may not stick. Rising rates usually squeeze REITs and other yield-focused stocks, and risk appetite can drop off fast.
U.S. weekly jobless claims are up next, along with a round of Fed speakers—both on traders’ radar, plus Walmart’s earnings report. Moves in oil prices or unexpected geopolitical developments could steer Singapore’s upcoming session.
