Singapore stocks ended higher on Friday (Sep 25), led by gains across the three local banks. For the week, the STI gained 1 per cent.

In terms of individual stocks, YZJ Maritime rose 5.1%; ST Engineering rose 4.2%; SIA Engineering rose 2.6%; Keppel rose 2.5%; SIA rose 2.2%; OCBC rose 2%; UOB rose 1.9%; DBS rose 1.5%; Singtel fell 1.6%.

Market News

Singapore Inflation Up for Third Month to Highest Since 2024

Singapore inflation accelerated for a third month in a row to the highest in almost two years, pushing prices closer to the upper end of the central bank’s forecast range.

Core inflation, which excludes housing and private transportation costs, accelerated in August to 2.2% from a year earlier, the Singapore Department of Statistics said on Wednesday. That’s the highest since September 2024 and matches the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey.

Food, retail and services saw faster inflation, according to a joint release by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, as elevated global oil prices and other external cost pressures continued to filter through to the economy.

Singapore Population Hits Record 6.21 Million, Driven by Rise in Foreign Residents

Singapore's population rose 1.6% in June compared to a year ago, hitting a new high ​of 6.21 million, government statistics released on Friday ‌showed.

Singapore has experienced steady population growth since the end of the pandemic, when it lifted tough restrictions that kept foreigners away and led to rare population ​declines.

Singapore raised its 2026 economic ⁠growth ​forecast in August to 4.5% to ​5.5% from 2.0% to 4.0% after the economy grew faster than initially estimated in ​the second quarter.

Singapore Launches National Semicon Brand Initiative, Inks R&D Deals

The Republic will market its chip sector to the world under a new branding initiative called SG Semiconductor, as the country seeks to draw more high-value research and manufacturing.

The launch came alongside a slate of new partnerships with global chip firms including Applied Materials and GlobalFoundries.

Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) Tan See Leng, who made the announcement on Friday (Sep 25), said that SG Semiconductor would serve as “a common national identity, reflecting our coordinated approach to partnering industry and advancing Singapore’s semiconductor sector”.