Singapore, Jan 5, 2026, 02:08 ET
- Digital Core REIT surged 11.8% after it signed a 10-year lease with an investment-grade global cloud provider. 1
- The Straits Times Index rose about 0.6% in afternoon trade, hovering near 4,686. 2
- Traders now watch Friday’s U.S. jobs report and Singapore’s late-January monetary policy statement for the next cue. 3
Digital Core REIT jumped 11.76% to $0.570, leading Singapore’s session after it disclosed a 10-year leasing deal for its Linton Hall facility in Virginia. The Straits Times Index (STI) climbed about 0.6% and pushed into record territory. 1
The moves matter early in the year because traders entered the first full week of January with risk appetite intact, even as headlines added a fresh dose of geopolitical noise. Asian equities rose broadly, and investors kept their focus on AI-linked spending and defensives. 4
A REIT, short for real estate investment trust, owns income-producing property and typically pays out most of its cash flow. Digital Core REIT said the new lease will lift portfolio occupancy from 81% to 98% once it starts and will raise annualised net property income by about US$13.3 million at its 90% share. 5
Among other large-cap gainers, ST Engineering rose 3.57% to $8.71, while developer City Developments climbed 2.74% to $8.24 and traded above the top of its recent three-month range—levels chart-watchers often treat as a momentum trigger. Keppel added 1.74% to $10.55. 1
The three local banks moved in step with the broader market. DBS gained 0.64% to $56.76, UOB rose 0.91% to $35.57 and OCBC added 0.71% to $19.99. 1
Investors typically treat February’s earnings season as the next major checkpoint for the sector, with attention on margins, loan growth and credit costs. DBS has scheduled its fourth-quarter results for Feb. 9. 6
Singapore Exchange shares rose 0.82% to $17.19 after SGX rebranded its equities business as “SGX Stock Exchange” and flagged a pickup in listings momentum following its market review work. 1
Macro cross-currents stayed in the background. “In North Asia, the focus remains firmly on the structural tailwind from rising AI investment,” said David Chao, Asia-Pacific global market strategist at Invesco in Singapore. 4
On the chart, the STI’s trading band tightened near the highs; it traded up to roughly 4,686 intraday, and technicians often mark 4,700 as the next round-number test. 2
Risks sit on both sides of the tape. A sharper turn in the Venezuela story could jolt oil and hit rate-sensitive and travel-linked names, while a surprise in U.S. data could reprice global rate expectations and spill into Asian financials and REITs. 4
The next clear catalyst lands Friday, when the U.S. releases December nonfarm payrolls at 08:30 ET. 3
