SINGAPORE, Jan 11, 2026, 15:09 SGT — Market closed
Shares of Singapore Telecommunications Ltd slipped 0.2% on Friday, closing at S$4.46, down by 1 cent. Over the weekend, its Australian arm Optus reported new local outages on its national register, notably a disruption lasting over five hours in South Australia’s Kangaroo Island region. (Yahoo Finance)
This hits Singtel at a sensitive time, with Optus scrambling to regain customer trust following several network failures. Regulators are stepping up scrutiny, pushing for stricter safeguards. A recent review of Optus’ emergency-call outage in September uncovered critical protocol flaws and proposed 21 recommendations, all of which the company agreed to implement. (Reuters)
Macro risks remain front and center. Inflation data from the U.S. and Europe are expected to shape bond yields this week. Telcos often behave like bond proxies when dividend hunting heats up. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, the U.S. inflation report is set to provide “more insights into the inflation trajectory,” amid a divided Federal Reserve on the timing of policy easing. (S&P Global)
Singapore’s Straits Times Index inched up 0.1% on Friday, buoyed by strong regional performance. Neil Wilson, UK investment strategist at Saxo Markets, cautioned about the ongoing “headline noise” surrounding tariffs, adding: “Tariffs are not going anywhere.” (The Straits Times)
Singtel’s chart looks cramped ahead of Monday’s session. The stock took a hit on Jan. 7, dropping 3.3%, then clawed back 1.8% the following day, before slipping again into Friday’s close. Traders are eyeing S$4.45 as key near-term support, while S$4.50 stands as the initial round-number resistance. (Investing)
Over the longer term, the stock still trades below its 52-week peak of S$4.92 hit in November, having climbed from a 52-week low of S$3.04. According to FT data, Singtel’s trailing dividend yield stands close to 4%, a crucial factor supporting the bullish outlook amid a turbulent market. (FT Markets)
The next major test for the story is earnings and guidance. In November, Singtel posted a 14% jump in first-half underlying profit, which excludes one-off items, and expanded its full-year forecast for operating-company EBIT, a profit metric before interest and tax. Group CEO Yuen Kuan Moon said the digital infrastructure division will “significantly reshape the business in the medium term.” (Reuters)
Investors are watching closely for any shift in Optus’s outlook on performance and costs, and whether the group continues to push into data centres and other infrastructure while maintaining its dividend. The market also needs to know how much of the recent share price surge is due to yield appeal versus confidence in the company’s execution.
Yet the situation works both ways. A hotter inflation reading might drive yields higher, dampening appetite for dividend stocks. Meanwhile, ongoing service problems at Optus could shift attention back to compliance, customer churn, and increased costs instead of growth.
The next key data point for traders is the U.S. consumer price index (CPI) for December, set to be released on Jan. 13. Singtel’s earnings report follows on Feb. 18, according to TipRanks. (Bls)
