Singapore equities head into the new week with renewed momentum after a strong finish on Friday, December 12, when the Straits Times Index (STI) jumped 1.5% to 4,586.45 as gainers outpaced losers across the broader market. [1]
But the “week ahead” setup for the Singapore stock market is far from a one-way bet. Trading from December 8 to 12 was defined by a tug-of-war between easing policy expectations (supportive for rate-sensitive pockets like S-REITs and cyclicals) and a fresh bout of global anxiety around tech valuations and AI spending (a risk-off force that can spill into Asia). [2]
Below is what Singapore investors will likely focus on in the week of December 15, based on news, forecasts and analyses published from December 8–13, 2025.
Recap: How the STI Set Up the Week Ahead (Dec 8–12)
Monday (Dec 8): Caution first, ahead of the Fed.
Singapore stocks opened the week on a defensive footing. The STI slipped 0.5% (down 24.28 points) to 4,507.08, with decliners beating advancers 290 to 222 as S$1.1 billion of securities changed hands. Market attention was already locked on the U.S. Federal Reserve: Swissquote’s Ipek Ozkardeskaya noted a 25 bp cut was widely expected, but flagged disagreement on “what happens next” — including the risk of markets pushing back if cuts are seen as politically driven, potentially sending long-end yields higher. [3]
Tuesday (Dec 9): A small lift, but nerves remain.
The STI edged up 0.1% to 4,513.24, though market breadth stayed soft (265 losers vs 262 gainers) on turnover of about S$1.1 billion. DFI Retail led the STI gainers (+1.5%), while UOL was the weakest STI constituent (-1.8%). Interactive Brokers’ Jose Torres pointed to lingering concern about sticky inflation and rising yields globally ahead of the Fed decision — a theme that matters for Singapore because bank-heavy and REIT-heavy indices can react quickly to rate expectations. [4]
Wednesday (Dec 10): Flat close before the Fed verdict.
On Wednesday, the STI was essentially unchanged, easing 1.34 points to 4,511.90 as markets stayed “mixed and languid” ahead of the Fed decision. Among the banks, OCBC outperformed (+0.9% to S$18.95), while DBS was flat (S$54.12) and UOB dipped (-0.3% to S$34.18). [5]
Thursday (Dec 11): After the Fed cut, Singapore inches higher.
After the Fed cut rates by 25 basis points, the STI rose 0.2% to 4,520.83. Hongkong Land surged 5.5% to US$6.93, while Jardine Matheson fell 2.7% to US$66.65. Torres described the Fed’s latest moves as a “reversal” from quantitative tightening and argued that liquidity dynamics were encouraging for risk assets — a framing that helped explain why cyclicals and smaller-cap segments were performing well globally. [6]
Friday (Dec 12): A broad-based risk-on push lifts the STI 1.5%.
The STI closed the week with a strong rally, up 65.62 points to 4,586.45, as gainers beat losers 360 to 200 on S$1.7 billion in turnover. The banks ended higher (DBS +1.2% to S$55.04; OCBC +1.3% to S$19.20; UOB +1.3% to S$34.72). Jardine Matheson led STI gainers (+4.9% to US$69.94). [7]
What it means for next week: using the week’s published closes (4,507.08 on Dec 8 and 4,586.45 on Dec 12), the STI gained about 1.8% over those five sessions — a meaningful shift from early-week caution to late-week optimism. [8]
The Big Macro Question for SGX: Is the Market Rotating — or Just Repricing?
Singapore is rarely traded in isolation. The STI’s sector mix (banks, property/REITs, conglomerates, defensives) means global rate expectations and regional risk appetite often dominate day-to-day direction.
Two storylines from Dec 8–13 are likely to carry into next week:
1) The “rates are easing” narrative supports rate-sensitive segments — but the bond market can still bite
The market went into the week assuming a Fed cut was highly likely, but commentary highlighted uncertainty about the path forward and what that means for long-term yields. That matters in Singapore because banks and S-REITs can move in opposite directions when yield curves shift. [9]
2) Tech/AI volatility is back — and it can hit sentiment beyond tech
A fresh wave of global concern about the cost of AI infrastructure and the payoff timeline resurfaced after Oracle’s quarterly report, with investors questioning returns amid higher capex intentions. Even though the STI is not a tech-heavy index, Singapore-listed tech and growth names — and overall risk appetite — can still be affected when global markets wobble on the “Magnificent Seven/AI trade.” [10]
This tension (easier policy tailwinds vs tech-led risk-off bursts) is a key lens for the Singapore stock market week ahead.
Key Events That Could Move Singapore Stocks Next Week (Dec 15–19)
US: Non-farm payrolls in focus — with shutdown-related data disruption still in the background
IG flagged that the U.S. employment data flow has been complicated by earlier shutdown disruptions, with October’s report not published and partial data expected to be folded into the upcoming release. The market is pencilling in +50,000for November payrolls with unemployment at 4.4%, and rate markets are pricing two full 25 bp Fed cuts in 2026. For Singapore, this matters through U.S. yields, the U.S. dollar, and global equity risk appetite.
UK: Bank of England meeting
IG highlighted that money markets were pricing a high probability (around 90%) of a 25 bp BoE rate cut at the next meeting. Even if Singapore isn’t directly tied to the UK policy rate, global bond markets often react in correlated ways — and SGX sectors sensitive to yields (REITs, property developers) can feel the impact.
Japan: Bank of Japan meeting — a major Asia risk event
Japan is a key driver for Asian FX and rates. IG noted markets were pricing an approximately 85% probability of a BoJ hike to 0.75% at the next meeting. Separately, a Reuters poll pointed to expectations for the BoJ to lift rates to 0.75% at its Dec 18–19 meeting. A BoJ hike (or a surprise hold with hawkish/dovish guidance) can affect Asian equities via the yen, carry trades and bond yields — all relevant for Singapore’s internationally owned market.
Singapore: Merchandise trade release (a key macro print for an export-linked market)
Singapore’s official advance release calendar shows Merchandise Trade (Monthly) scheduled for Dec 17 (11 2025). This is one of the most important local macro releases because it’s closely tied to the trade cycle that drives earnings expectations across parts of the Singapore market (industrials, transport/logistics, and some tech-related supply chain names).
Global: A crowded macro calendar
S&P Global’s “Week Ahead Economic Preview” highlighted a packed slate including flash PMIs, U.S. payrolls and CPI, and multiple central bank decisions (including the ECB, BoE and BoJ). For Singapore investors, this increases the odds of headline-driven volatility even when local news flow is light.
SGX Sectors to Watch: Where the Week’s News Points Next
Banks: DBS, OCBC, UOB back in the driver’s seat — but yields remain the swing factor
The three local banks finished Friday higher (DBS S$55.04; OCBC S$19.20; UOB S$34.72), contributing to the STI’s strong close. But earlier in the week, banks were mixed to weaker (for example, all three ended lower on Dec 8). The week ahead will likely hinge on whether global yields stabilize after the Fed cut and ahead of the U.S. and Japan policy/data events. [11]
What to watch next week: any sharp moves in global bond yields after U.S. payrolls or the BoJ meeting could quickly feed into bank sentiment and the STI’s direction.
REITs and property: A constructive fundamental backdrop — plus very stock-specific catalysts
A key piece of Singapore-focused analysis during Dec 8–13 was the more upbeat outlook for office S-REITs going into 2026. Business Times reported that analysts highlighted improving “capital management metrics” as expensive hedges mature and refinancing accelerates. The same analysis noted strong Grade A dynamics: core CBD occupancy around 95%and rents above S$12 per square foot per month, with Keppel REIT described as “uniquely leveraged” to capture rental upside given its Singapore CBD concentration. [12]
At the same time, REIT trading can be headline-driven:
- Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust (MPACT) announced the sale of Festival Walk Tower in Hong Kong for HK$1.96 billion (about US$252 million) as part of portfolio optimization amid a weak Greater China office market, with proceeds intended to reduce debt and lower leverage.
- MPACT’s Festival Walk subsidiary also disclosed plans to sell Festival Walk Tower for nearly HK$2 billion (S$328.1 million), with details on lettable area and tenants highlighted in a Singapore “stocks to watch” briefing.
- Keppel REIT showed how idiosyncratic catalysts can override macro: it was the biggest loser on the iEdge Singapore Next 50 Index on Dec 12 (-6.8% to S$0.96), even as the STI rallied. [13]
What to watch next week: REITs may continue to react to (1) rate expectations, and (2) financing/capital management headlines, including asset sales, acquisitions, and funding plans.
Property developers: Broker optimism enters the conversation
In a Dec 12 “stocks to watch” roundup, DBS Research was cited as taking a bullish stance on Singapore property counters, lifting target prices for developers including CDL, UOL and GuocoLand, with potential upside ranges cited at 28% to 64% from last traded levels at the time.
What to watch next week: if global yields cool further, property and REIT narratives can strengthen together — but if yields rebound, the market may refocus on balance sheets and rate sensitivity.
Industrials and renewables-linked exposure: Contracts and M&A can move the tape
Two STI-linked or widely followed Singapore names delivered news that could remain in focus:
- Sembcorp Industries announced it will acquire Australian utilities provider Alinta Energy at an agreed enterprise value of A$6.5 billion (S$5.6 billion), with the purchase price to be paid in cash through facilities.
- Seatrium said a consortium including Seatrium and GE Vernova won a contract from TenneT to connect North Sea wind power to Germany’s grid, taking its FY2025 new contracts secured to over S$4 billion year-to-date (as cited in the same briefing).
What to watch next week: follow-through trading after major deal headlines, plus any additional details on funding, timelines or regulatory steps.
Tech and growth names: Speculative heat is a double-edged sword
While the STI is not dominated by tech, Singapore has seen pockets of intense speculative activity — and that matters for sentiment.
A clear example from Dec 8: MetaOptics, a semiconductor optics company listed in September, saw sharp profit-taking (down as much as 18% intraday) after having reached an all-time high of S$1.33, about 6.65 times its IPO price of S$0.20. Business Times linked part of the surge to disclosure around a proposed Nasdaq listing and U.S. subsidiary developments. [14]
At the broader market level, global headlines are also reintroducing “AI bubble” language into the risk conversation. Reuters reported that worries about AI investment returns weighed on markets, with Oracle’s results sparking scrutiny of spending and payback timelines. [15]
What to watch next week: if global tech sentiment softens again, Singapore’s higher-beta growth names — and risk appetite more generally — could see faster swings than the STI headline suggests.
Fund Flows and Risk Appetite: Singapore Is Not Immune to the Regional Mood
One more reason next week may be volatile: global investors have been actively reallocating across Asia.
Reuters reported that foreign investors pulled US$22.1 billion out of Asian equities in November (largest outflow in a year), with concerns including elevated valuations and AI-related uncertainty. Even if Singapore isn’t the epicenter of that debate, cross-border equity flows can shape day-to-day market tone and liquidity. [16]
Week Ahead Playbook: What Singapore Investors May Do With This Setup
Based on the Dec 8–13 news flow, here are the practical “watch items” most likely to shape SGX trading next week:
- Macro-driven volatility: U.S. payrolls, BoE, and BoJ outcomes could move yields/FX — and Singapore often reacts quickly through banks, REITs and conglomerates.
- Singapore data catalyst: Merchandise Trade on Dec 17 (11 2025) is the most clearly signposted local macro event on the official calendar.
- Stock-specific deal digestion: Sembcorp/Alinta, Seatrium’s wind-grid contract, and property/REIT corporate actions (including MPACT’s Hong Kong divestment) may generate follow-through moves.
- AI/tech sentiment spillovers: keep one eye on global AI narratives, because a risk-off swing in U.S. tech can still dampen broader risk appetite in Asia. [17]
Bottom Line: Singapore’s Week Ahead Starts With Momentum — But Catalysts Are Crowdedd
The STI enters the Dec 15–19 week after a strong Friday close at 4,586.45, with banks broadly higher and market breadth improving. [18]
Still, the dominant takeaway from Dec 8–13 coverage is that Singapore’s next move is likely to be driven more by macro catalysts than by a single local theme — especially with major central bank events and high-impact U.S. data on deck, and with AI/tech valuation worries resurfacing globally.
Note: This article is for informational purposes and is not investment advice.
References
1. www.businesstimes.com.sg, 2. www.businesstimes.com.sg, 3. www.businesstimes.com.sg, 4. www.businesstimes.com.sg, 5. www.businesstimes.com.sg, 6. www.businesstimes.com.sg, 7. www.businesstimes.com.sg, 8. www.businesstimes.com.sg, 9. www.businesstimes.com.sg, 10. www.businesstimes.com.sg, 11. www.businesstimes.com.sg, 12. www.businesstimes.com.sg, 13. www.businesstimes.com.sg, 14. www.businesstimes.com.sg, 15. www.reuters.com, 16. www.reuters.com, 17. www.reuters.com, 18. www.businesstimes.com.sg
