Equity Analyst - Asia Consumer Sector, Investory

Devi Subhakesan

Equity Analyst - Asia Consumer Sector

ASIA CONSUMER: INSIGHTS AND INVESTMENT IDEAS

Investory

Investory is a Singapore-based boutique independent equity research firm founded in January 2017 with a primary focus on consumption themes across Asia-Pacific.

We aim to generate investible ideas based on consumption trends and outlook. We screen our ideas on several parameters - product potential, long-term growth and management commitment being the most critical.  We follow a fundamental analysis approach in our stock selection process and are not restricted by market cap.

We aspire to grow into a leading source of unbiased research, free of conflict of interest, for investors yearning for independent and disciplined analysis. 

We also undertake bespoke research mandates to support our Institutional clients’ investment needs.

Our team comprises of professionals with extensive experience in the Asian equity markets, in areas ranging from research, servicing institutional clients and investment management.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>The upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System and the ease of cross-border movements could impact Singapore’s retail sector as more consumers may choose to spend across the border.</li>
<li>DFI Retail CEO cited this as rationale for exiting Singapore based grocery retail business under Cold Storage and Giant's brands. Sheng Siong group said it will carefully monitor this development.</li>
<li>Singapore retail prices for branded consumer discretionary and staples are between 30%-50% higher than in Malaysia. With greater ease of commute and shipping, this price differential may not be sustainable.</li>
</ul>


The upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System and the ease of cross-border movements could impact Singapore’s retail sector as more consumers may choose to spend across the border.
DFI Retail CEO cited this as rationale for exiting Singapore based grocery retail business under Cold Storage and Giant's brands. Sheng Siong group said it will carefully monitor this development.
Singapore retail prices for branded consumer discretionary and staples are between 30%-50% higher than in Malaysia. With greater ease of commute and shipping, this price differential may not be sustainable.


Singapore Retail Sector: Will It Be Impacted by Improved Connectivity with Malaysia?

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/spdr-straits-times-index-etf" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35880:1" rel="noopener">SPDR Straits Times Index ETF (STTF SP)</a> will need to sell <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/emperador-inc-1be53f2f-f106-4f4f-b9be-5cf1341e76ae" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36111:1" rel="noopener">Emperador (EMI SP)</a> at the close of trading on 15 March.</li>
<li>Other global index trackers will need to sell <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/emperador-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3485:1" rel="noopener">Emperador (EMP PM)</a> at the close on 15 March.</li>
<li>There will be around US$55m to sell across both lines and varying liquidity has opened up a huge spread between the listings.</li>
</ul>


The SPDR Straits Times Index ETF (STTF SP) will need to sell Emperador (EMI SP) at the close of trading on 15 March.
Other global index trackers will need to sell Emperador (EMP PM) at the close on 15 March.
There will be around US$55m to sell across both lines and varying liquidity has opened up a huge spread between the listings.


STTF Index Rebalance: The Widening Emperador Spread

Alpha-Centric ESG Research

Kyle Rudden

<ul>
<li>The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) recently launched a public consultation regarding a Code of Conduct for ESG ratings providers and ESG data product providers in Singapore.</li>
<li>It is the right approach for Singapore – a <em>voluntary</em> best-practices framework furthering one of the world's most credible "green" economies, not a regulatory force-fix of something broken.</li>
<li>No surprise ratings methodology changes. No <em>en masse</em> upgrades/downgrades. No acute shocks to the system. Just slow and steady progress for ESG investing and finance in Singapore.</li>
</ul>


The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) recently launched a public consultation regarding a Code of Conduct for ESG ratings providers and ESG data product providers in Singapore.
It is the right approach for Singapore – a voluntary best-practices framework furthering one of the world's most credible "green" economies, not a regulatory force-fix of something broken.
No surprise ratings methodology changes. No en masse upgrades/downgrades. No acute shocks to the system. Just slow and steady progress for ESG investing and finance in Singapore.


Singapore Code of Conduct for ESG Ratings Is Less Risk and More Reward

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.

<ul><li>S-REITs in Singapore have announced S$4 billion in equity fundraising in 2025, surpassing 2024's S$2.9 billion.</li><li>Primary market IPOs of NTT DC REIT and CAREIT raised US$824.1 million and S$816.1 million, respectively.</li><li>Secondary market fundraising includes CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust's S$600 million and CapitaLand Ascendas REIT's S$500 million placements.</li></ul>

S-REITs in Singapore have announced S$4 billion in equity fundraising in 2025, surpassing 2024's S$2.9 billion.Primary market IPOs of NTT DC REIT and CAREIT raised US$824.1 million and S$816.1 million, respectively.Secondary market fundraising includes CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust's S$600 million and CapitaLand Ascendas REIT's S$500 million placements.

REIT Watch – S-REITs fundraising continues uptrend in 2025, reaching S$4 billion for YTD

The New Standard in Wealth Management, Wealth Management Alliance

Wealth Management Alliance

The New Standard in Wealth Management

WMA is a Singapore-based multi-family office with a Capital Markets Services license and provide fund management and investment advisory services to a small number of global UHNW clients. We also act as incubator for single-family offices, allowing them to plug into our broader ecosystem and infrastructure, and tap on our investment professionals for advice. WMA is designed around providing truly bespoke advice to each client, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach that may not fit each client's investment objectives and risk tolerances. On top of that, we are designed so that we avoid any semblance of conflicts of interests by being compensated only by the client (which may include profit sharing), as opposed to the model that many of our peers adopt, which include compensation from a variety of third parties such as funds managers, distributors or banks. That, to us, is the easiest way to be firmly on the side of the client in every decision we make.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>It appears that the Singapore stock market is currently witnessing a positive re-rating, as seen in a rise in the market’s price-earnings ratio while earnings per share has stayed relatively stable. </li><li>In our view, the upward re-rating has come on the back of several key developments. • On the external front, the US will charge Singapore the baseline tariff rate of 10%. While tariffs work against every US trading partner, on a relative basis, Singapore compares well with most other countries.</li><li>Also, amid concerns over US policies and the outlook for the US dollar. anecdotal evidence points to capital flows into Singapore.</li></ul>

It appears that the Singapore stock market is currently witnessing a positive re-rating, as seen in a rise in the market’s price-earnings ratio while earnings per share has stayed relatively stable. In our view, the upward re-rating has come on the back of several key developments. • On the external front, the US will charge Singapore the baseline tariff rate of 10%. While tariffs work against every US trading partner, on a relative basis, Singapore compares well with most other countries.Also, amid concerns over US policies and the outlook for the US dollar. anecdotal evidence points to capital flows into Singapore.

Singapore

Frasers Centrepoint Trust is a retail real estate investment trust focused on growing unitholder value through asset management, financial management and strategic investments.  The trust invests in retail properties in Singapore and overseas.

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Frasers Centrepoint Trust (FCT SP)

Singapore Retail Sector: Will It Be Impacted by Improved Connectivity with Malaysia?

Singapore's branded consumer retail margins and retail rental yield are at risk when easier border crossing access to Malaysia could prompt more...

Devi Subhakesan

STTF Index Rebalance: The Widening Emperador Spread

The STTF ETF will need to sell Singapore listed Emperador at the close on 15 March. Global passive portfolios will be selling Emperador in the...

Brian Freitas

Singapore Code of Conduct for ESG Ratings Is Less Risk and More Reward

Singapore's Code of Conduct for ESG ratings is more light-handed than other regulation-based approaches, but therein lies the "less risk and more...

Kyle Rudden

REIT Watch – S-REITs fundraising continues uptrend in 2025, reaching S$4 billion for YTD

S-REITs in Singapore have announced S$4 billion in equity fundraising in 2025, surpassing 2024's S$2.9 billion. Primary market IPOs of NTT DC REIT...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

Singapore Equity Strategy: August 2025

It appears that the Singapore stock market is currently witnessing a positive re-rating, as seen in a rise in the market’s price-earnings ratio...

Wealth Management Alliance

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