The Straits Times Index outperforms most Asean peers with a 5.6% month-on-month gain
[SINGAPORE] The Singapore Exchange (SGX) recorded S$34.6 billion in turnover value for January, a 66 per cent year-on-year (yoy) increase, as the month witnessed “robust trading activity”.
Securities daily average value (SDAV) was up 58 per cent yoy at S$1.6 billion, the bourse operator said in its latest monthly statistics report, released on Tuesday (Feb 10).
Exchange-traded fund (ETF) turnover also rose in January to a record high of S$65 million in SDAV, amid stronger participation from both retail and institutional investors.
Also climbing to their highest levels in nearly six years were derivative volumes across equities, foreign exchange and commodities. This reflected “continued institutional demand for trusted risk-management tools”, SGX said.
Derivatives total traded volume stood at 32.1 million contracts for the month, up 34 per cent yoy and the highest since March 2020. They recorded 1.6 million contracts in daily average volume (DAV), a 27 per cent yoy increase.
Growing interest beyond STI stocks
Notably, there was “growing interest in stocks beyond the benchmark” Straits Times Index (STI), SGX said.
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“Stock market momentum in January was broad-based across all client segments, with demand extending beyond index names as more stocks achieved at least S$1 million in daily turnover.”
It added that institutions net purchased into index as well as small and mid-cap stocks.
During the month, SGX and the Monetary Authority of Singapore launched the Value Unlock programme to help listed companies boost investor engagement.
The STI also outperformed most Asean peers in January, advancing 5.6 per cent on the month to 4,905.13 points.
New listings
The month also recorded a sharp rise in secondary fundraising activity, hitting S$963 million, SGX said.
The mainboard added the secondary listing of renewable energy investment holding company Concord New Energy Group on Jan 6.
On the Catalist board, there were two new listings: that of community living operator The Assembly Place on Jan 23, and customer-experience platform Toku on Jan 22.
ETF turnover
Market turnover value in ETFs more than doubled yoy to nearly S$1.4 billion in January.
Besides SDAV reaching at an all-time high of S$65 million, assets under management also surged to a record S$19.1 billion as at end-January, up 43 per cent yoy.
SGX noted sustained inflows into gold, STI and real estate investment trust ETFs.
The bourse welcomed two new additions: UOBAM Ping An FTSE Asean Dividend Index ETF, and CSOP CSAM CSI A500 Index ETF.
China equities and Taiwan index futures
January also witnessed “sustained demand for trusted access to China equities”, SGX said.
The SGX FTSE China A50 Index Futures traded volume was up 34 per cent yoy at 11.3 million contracts – the steepest since October 2024. This contract is the “world’s most liquid international futures for Chinese equities”, the bourse operator noted.
Meanwhile, DAV in SGX FTSE China H50 Index Futures also jumped 82 per cent yoy to 8,653 lots, as investors increasingly turned to the contract “to risk-manage their H-share exposures”, SGX said.
It added that global artificial intelligence momentum “powered Taiwan equities to new heights” in January, with DAV in SGX FTSE Taiwan Index Futures up 37 per cent on the month at 75,363 lots.
Similarly, the SGX Micro FTSE Taiwan Index Futures had a “strong month” with a record high DAV of 6,430 lots.
FX and commodities
In January, SGX USD/CNH FX Futures traded volume posted a new monthly record of 4.5 million contracts, a 30 per cent yoy gain. This was as the renminbi strengthened against the US dollar.
The volume for SGX INR/USD FX Futures, meanwhile, increased 56 per cent yoy to three million contracts amid heightened volatility. This lifted total FX futures volume to an all-time high of 8.3 million contracts, SGX said.
Commodities traded volume grew 54 per cent yoy to 6.8 million contracts, with gains across bellwether iron ore, petrochemicals, freight and rubber derivatives.
SGX Sicom rubber futures and options volume expanded 51 per cent on the month to 359,115 contracts, the most since April 2025.
The bourse operator noted that the launch of a night trading session for rubber on Jan 26 bolstered daily volumes by more than 10 per cent, demonstrating increased demand for the global benchmark contract.
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