Can you even count yourself as a Singaporean investor if you’re not kaypoh about what others are buying?
SGX recently released information on the top most traded ETFs (by buy/sell volume) on SGX in the first half of 2022.
Here’s the list:
1. SPDR GLD ETF
SPDR® Gold Shares is the largest physically backed gold ETF in the world.
SPDR Gold Shares offer investors an innovative, relatively cost efficient and secure way to access the gold market.
SPDR Gold Shares are intended to offer investors a means of participating in the gold bullion market without the necessity of taking physical delivery of gold, and to buy and sell that interest through the trading of a security on a regulated stock exchange. The launch of SPDR Gold Shares was intended to lower many of the barriers, such as access, custody, and transaction costs, that had prevented some investors from investing in gold.
SPDR Gold Shares represent fractional, undivided beneficial ownership interests in the Trust, the sole assets of which are gold bullion, and, from time to time, cash.
2. SPDR Straits Times Index ETF
SPDR® Straits Times Index ETF is Singapore’s first locally created exchange traded fund, is designed to track the performance of the Straits Times Index.
The Straits Times Index (STI) is the globally-recognised benchmark index and market barometer for Singapore. With a history dating back to 1966, it tracks the performance of the top 30 eligible companies listed on the Singapore Exchange. The STI adopts FTSE’s international methodology for compiling stock indices and has been designed to be tradable to meet the needs of both domestic and international investors.
The Fund offers investors the opportunity to gain diversified exposure to the leading companies in Singapore and participate in Singapore’s long term growth potential in a single transaction, at relatively low cost.
3. Lion-OCBC Securities Hang Seng TECH ETF
Launched on 27 July 2020, the Hang Seng TECH Index tracks the 30 largest TECH-themed companies listed in Hong Kong.
These companies have high business exposure to selected tech themes including Cloud, Digital, E-Commerce, FinTech, Internet and Autonomous. The index is reviewed quarterly and has an IPO fast entry rule which allows for the direct inclusion of a newly listed company if it meets certain criteria.
The weighting of each stock in the Index is capped at 8%.
The index addresses the growing demand from investors for high quality TECH-themed companies and reflects the rising importance of the tech sector in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
The investment objective of the Fund is to replicate as closely as possible, before expenses, the performance of the Hang Seng TECH Index using a direct investment policy of investing in all, or substantially all, of the underlying Index Securities.
4. ICBC CSOP FTSE Chinese Government Bond ETF
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5. iShares USD Asia High Yield Bond Index ETF
The iShares USD Asia High Yield Bond ETF seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of USD-denominated high yield bonds issued by Asian governments and Asian-domiciled corporations.
• Diversified exposure to high yield bonds issued by governments and corporates in Asia ex Japan region
• USD denominated high yield bond exposure
• For investors seeking potential higher income
BTW – we share commentary on Singapore Investments every week, so do join our Telegram Channel (or Telegram Group), Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date!
I also share great nuggets of wisdom on Twitter.
Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly newsletter too!
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6. Nikko AM Singapore STI ETF
The investment objective of the Nikko AM Singapore STI ETF is to replicate as closely as possible, before expenses, the performance of the Straits Times Index (STI).
The Straits Times Index is compiled and calculated by FTSE International Limited and represents the top 30 companies listed on the SGX-ST Mainboard ranked by full market capitalisation.
7. NikkoAM-StraitsTrading Asia ex Japan REIT ETF
The investment objective of the NikkoAM-StraitsTrading Asia ex Japan REIT ETF is to replicate as closely as possible, before expenses, the performance of the FTSE EPRA Nareit Asia ex Japan REITS 10% Capped Index.
The FTSE EPRA Nareit Asia ex Japan REITs 10% Capped Index is a carve out of one of the most widely used global benchmark for listed real estate, the FTSE EPRA Nareit Global Real Estate Index Series.
The Index is a tradable index covering the constituents of developed and emerging countries in the Asia ex Japan region by market capitalisation with a selection process that includes only companies qualified as REITs by international standards and passes certain trading liquidity thresholds. It is designed to represent the performance of qualifying REITS from China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
8. Lion-Phillip S-REIT ETF
The Lion-Phillip S-REIT ETF is Singapore’s first exchange-traded fund that lets investors invest in high-quality S-REITs screened by Morningstar, at a low cost.
The investment objective of the Fund is to replicate as closely as possible, before expenses, the performance of the Morningstar® Singapore REIT Yield Focus Index℠ using a direct investment policy of investing in all, or substantially all, of the underlying Index Securities.
From their FAQ, the Index is compiled and calculated by Morningstar Research Pte. Ltd. and is designed to screen for high-yielding REITs with superior quality and financial health.
The Index aims to track the performance of Singapore REITs listed on the SGX using a broad-based quality income strategy with the following proprietary factors:
(a) Quality;
(b) Financial health; and
(c) Dividend yield.
The weightings are further adjusted to take into consideration the liquidity of the underlying REITs. The Index will be rebalanced semi-annually in June and December of each year, with the maximum weighting of each constituent security capped at 10% at each rebalancing.
9. SPDR S&P 500 ETF
The SPDR® S&P 500® ETF Trust seeks to provide investment results that, before expenses, correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S&P 500® Index.
The S&P 500 Index is a diversified large cap U.S. index that holds companies across all eleven GICS sectors.
The S&P 500 Index is composed of 500 selected stocks, all of which are listed on NYSE Arca, and spans over 25 separate industry groups.
10. Nikko AM SGD Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF
The investment objective of the Nikko AM SGD Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF is to provide investors with investment returns that correspond closely to the total return of the iBoxx SGD NonSovereigns Large Cap Investment Grade Index.
The iBoxx SGD Non-Sovereigns Large Cap Investment Grade Index is an Index compiled and calculated by Markit Indices Limited. The Index is designed to reflect the performance of SGD denominated non-sovereigns investment grade bonds.
The index rules aim to offer a broad coverage of the underlying bond universe, whilst upholding minimum standards of investability and liquidity. Minimum inclusion size for each corporate bond is SGD 300 million with a maximum 20% limit on single issuer exposures.
Refinancing tool
With rapidly rising interest rates – it might pay off to look into refinancing if your loan is coming due.
I know a lot of you have been writing in for my views on fixed vs floating loans, and I plan to write a full article for this.
But in this market – I think you’re pretty much forced into taking floating. The banks themselves know interest rates are going up quick, so the fixed rate loans are priced in such a way that they aren’t sufficiently attractive (in my view).
In the meantime, there’s a fantastic tool by Property Guru.
Do give it a try if you’re close to refinancing.
It’s completely free – you just input your mortgage details, and the tool lets you know whether you’ll save money by refinancing.
If the answer is yes, they’ll give you recommendations on what loan to take.
If the answer is no, you can set up a reminder for the tool to remind you when its time to refinance.
I set up the reminders for my own properties just this week and it’s pretty neat.
Do give it a try here.
Looking for a low cost broker to buy US, China or Singapore stocks?
Get 100 USD in Apple Shares with Webull, a zero commission broker.
Get a free stock and commission free trading with MooMoo.
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Special account opening bonus for Saxo Brokers too (drop email to [email protected] for full steps).
Or Interactive Brokers for competitive FX and commissions.
Looking for a low cost broker to buy US, China or Singapore stocks?
Get 100 USD in Apple Shares with Webull, a zero commission broker.
Get a free stock and commission free trading with MooMoo.
Get a free stock and commission free trading with Tiger Brokers.
Special account opening bonus for Saxo Brokers too (drop email to [email protected] for full steps).
Or Interactive Brokers for competitive FX and commissions.
Looking to buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Crypto?
Check out our guide to the best Crypto Exchange here.
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All are THE best quality investment courses available to Singapore investors out there!
FYI – We just launched the FH Property Series. Everything you need to know to buy a property in Singapore, completely free of charge.
Hi! There are many ETFs tracking the S&P 500 locally and overseas e.g. VOO & Infinity 500 US fund SGD by Lion Global. Popular ETF e.g. VOO is costly whereas Infinity 500 is cheaper.
Does the share price of an ETF matter?
Is it true the value of the ETF’s underlying index that should determine the performance of an ETF, not supply and demand for its shares?
Is it true different prices are nothing to worry about among ETFs tracking the same index because they do not contain important performance-related information?
Do lower prices enable me to invest more efficiently and to fine-tune my portfolio management?
I intend to DCA $1000 monthly or quarterly for the long term with dividends being reinvested.