SGX Market Strategist, Equity & Fixed Income, Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

Geoff Howie

SGX Market Strategist, Equity & Fixed Income

Asia’s leading multi-asset exchange

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

Singapore Exchange is Asia’s leading and trusted market infrastructure, facilitating the exchange of capital and ideas to create value for people, businesses and economies. As a multi-asset exchange operating equity, fixed income and derivatives markets to the highest regulatory standards, SGX is a vertically integrated business that provides listing, trading, clearing, settlement, depository and data services.

With about 40% of listed companies and over 80% of listed bonds originating outside of Singapore as well as established linkages across the region and in Europe, SGX is Asia’s most international and connected exchange. Offering a full suite of derivatives products across Asian equity indices, commodities and currencies, SGX is the world’s most liquid international market for the benchmark equity indices of China, India, Japan and ASEAN.

As Asia’s pioneering central counterparty, SGX is globally recognised for its risk management and clearing capabilities, and was one of the first globally to adopt the Principles for Financial Market Infrastructure.

Headquartered in AAA-rated Singapore, SGX has over 800 employees including offices in Beijing, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, New York, Mumbai, San Francisco, Shanghai and Tokyo.

Equity Bottom-Up

Far East Hospitality Trust / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>The US Federal Reserve maintained its benchmark interest rate, with analysts predicting a 75 basis points cut in 2025.</li><li>The S-REIT sector maintains an average gearing ratio of 40%, with the 10 lowest averaging 33.5%.</li><li>Sasseur REIT reported a 25.9% gearing ratio in 1Q25, with a 1.6% year-on-year increase in RMB rental income.</li></ul>

The US Federal Reserve maintained its benchmark interest rate, with analysts predicting a 75 basis points cut in 2025.The S-REIT sector maintains an average gearing ratio of 40%, with the 10 lowest averaging 33.5%.Sasseur REIT reported a 25.9% gearing ratio in 1Q25, with a 1.6% year-on-year increase in RMB rental income.

REIT Watch - 10 S-REITs with lowest gearing ratios average 33.5% as investors await rate cuts

Capitaland Integrated Commercial Trust / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Top S-REIT performers in H1 2025 include FHT, CICT, First REIT, FCT, and Parkway Life REIT with returns of 10.0-21.4%.</li><li>Retail investors were net buyers with S$400 million inflow, while institutions were net sellers with S$500 million outflow.</li><li>Forward dividend yield for FTSE ST REIT Index was 6.4%, with a nearly 4% yield spread to 10-year Singapore Government Bonds.</li></ul>

Top S-REIT performers in H1 2025 include FHT, CICT, First REIT, FCT, and Parkway Life REIT with returns of 10.0-21.4%.Retail investors were net buyers with S$400 million inflow, while institutions were net sellers with S$500 million outflow.Forward dividend yield for FTSE ST REIT Index was 6.4%, with a nearly 4% yield spread to 10-year Singapore Government Bonds.

REIT Watch - Best performing S-REITs post double digit total returns in H1

Sabana Industrial REIT / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Industrial S-REITs reported growth in net property income due to stable occupancies and positive rental reversions in Q1.  </li><li>Mapletree Industrial Trust's FY25 distribution per unit rose 1% due to higher gross revenue and NPI.  </li><li>ESR Reit's NPI increased 31.3% in Q1, driven by acquisitions, AEIs, and higher contributions from existing properties.</li></ul>

Industrial S-REITs reported growth in net property income due to stable occupancies and positive rental reversions in Q1.  Mapletree Industrial Trust's FY25 distribution per unit rose 1% due to higher gross revenue and NPI.  ESR Reit's NPI increased 31.3% in Q1, driven by acquisitions, AEIs, and higher contributions from existing properties.

REIT Watch – Industrial S-REITs report NPI growth, but managers are cautious on outlook

Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Institutional investors rotated into S-REITs with S$26 million net inflows on April 3 amid market volatility.</li><li>S-REITs ended Q1 2025 with 2.8% total returns, driven by a 5.0% price gain in March.</li><li>Franklin Resources acquired 5.06% interest in Digital Core REIT, buying 969,800 units at US$0.577 each.</li></ul>

Institutional investors rotated into S-REITs with S$26 million net inflows on April 3 amid market volatility.S-REITs ended Q1 2025 with 2.8% total returns, driven by a 5.0% price gain in March.Franklin Resources acquired 5.06% interest in Digital Core REIT, buying 969,800 units at US$0.577 each.

REIT Watch - S-REITs record net institutional inflows in March as sector snaps 5-month losing streak

<ul><li>With almost full certainty that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this September (based on CME Fed Watch Tool showing a 100 per cent probability as of Jul 26, 2024), interest rates continue to remain in the spotlight for REITs.</li><li>The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced last week a proposal to simplify the leverage requirements for all Singapore REITs (S-REITs) – it proposes for a single aggregate leverage limit of 50 per cent and a minimum interest coverage ratio (ICR) of 5 times to be applied for all S-REITs.</li><li>Five S-REITs that maintain the lowest gearing ratios are Sasseur REIT (25.2 per cent), Paragon REIT (29.9 per cent), Far East Hospitality Trust (31.5 per cent), AIMS APAC REIT (32.6 per cent), and Frasers Logistics & Commercial Trust (32.7 per cent).</li></ul>

With almost full certainty that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this September (based on CME Fed Watch Tool showing a 100 per cent probability as of Jul 26, 2024), interest rates continue to remain in the spotlight for REITs.The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced last week a proposal to simplify the leverage requirements for all Singapore REITs (S-REITs) – it proposes for a single aggregate leverage limit of 50 per cent and a minimum interest coverage ratio (ICR) of 5 times to be applied for all S-REITs.Five S-REITs that maintain the lowest gearing ratios are Sasseur REIT (25.2 per cent), Paragon REIT (29.9 per cent), Far East Hospitality Trust (31.5 per cent), AIMS APAC REIT (32.6 per cent), and Frasers Logistics & Commercial Trust (32.7 per cent).

REIT Watch - Maintaining balance sheet strengths as S-REITs average 39% gearing

Singapore

AIMS APAC REIT is a real estate investment trust. The Trust's principal investment objective is owning and investing in a diversified portfolio of income-producing industrial real estate assets throughout Asia Pacific, including warehousing and logistics, manufacturing, business parks and hi-tech spaces.

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AIMS APAC REIT (AAREIT SP)

REIT Watch - 10 S-REITs with lowest gearing ratios average 33.5% as investors await rate cuts

The US Federal Reserve maintained its benchmark interest rate, with analysts predicting a 75 basis points cut in 2025. The S-REIT sector maintains...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

REIT Watch - Best performing S-REITs post double digit total returns in H1

Top S-REIT performers in H1 2025 include FHT, CICT, First REIT, FCT, and Parkway Life REIT with returns of 10.0-21.4%. Retail investors were net...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

REIT Watch – Industrial S-REITs report NPI growth, but managers are cautious on outlook

Industrial S-REITs reported growth in net property income due to stable occupancies and positive rental reversions in Q1. Mapletree Industrial...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

REIT Watch - S-REITs record net institutional inflows in March as sector snaps 5-month losing streak

Institutional investors rotated into S-REITs with S$26 million net inflows on April 3 amid market volatility. S-REITs ended Q1 2025 with 2.8%...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

REIT Watch - Maintaining balance sheet strengths as S-REITs average 39% gearing

With almost full certainty that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this September (based on CME Fed Watch Tool showing a 100 per cent...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

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