$STI Turns to Earnings as $FEH, $OUH and $NTP Lead the Profit Recovery
Singapore equities entered the second half from a position of strength. The $Straits Times Index(STI.SI)$ 's discount to Bloomberg consensus target price has narrowed materially from the double-digit levels that prevailed through much of the past few years, shifting the focus from valuation expansion to earnings delivery. With indicative STI EPS growth around 12% based on current LSEG Workspace consensus forecasts, investors are likely to place greater emphasis on profits, cash flow, dividends and capital discipline. That makes the post-1H26 earnings season an important test of earnings breadth. Consensus forecasts continue to point to following-FY earnings growth across all sectors, although REITs, Consumer Cyclicals and Utilities are presently
SGX Weekly: Safe-Haven Flows Support STI Above 5,650; Dividend Week & Macro Data Ahead
The $Straits Times Index(STI.SI)$ weekly declined 0.95% and closed at 5,688.96 (as of August 21st, 2026), as strength in gold proxies, Thai transport, and Chinese tech SDRs partially offset broader market weakness. The index held above the 5,650 level amid safe-haven flows into precious metals. The week is light on earnings but active on corporate actions — three ex-dividend dates ( $Bumitama Agri(P8Z.SI)$ , $Haw Par(H02.SI)$ , $Genting Sing(G13.SI)$ ) and the $SIA(C6L.SI)$ dividend payout on Friday are the main stock-specific events. On the macro side, Singapore CPI
Digital Economy and E-Commerce: ASEAN's $1 Trillion Growth Engine
Southeast Asia’s digital economy was valued at over $300 billion in 2025 with analyst estimates forecasting it could reach $1 trillion by 2030. But the headline number tells only part of the story. What is unfolding across the eleven member states of ASEAN is a structural shift in how hundreds of millions of people earn, spend, and move money, compressed into roughly a decade. The region’s diversity makes that transformation all the more striking. Indonesia remains the largest single market. Its digital economy was valued at approximately $90 billion in 2024 and could triple to $360 billion by 2030, with e-commerce alone contributing an estimated $150 billion of that total. Vietnam and the Philippines are growing rapidly from a smaller base, Thailand and Malaysia are accelerating adoption