Today, we are going to share with you how to invest your CPF investment money in a no-brainer way. The best part? You need not be financial savvy to do this. A beginner can do it! And I’ll reveal the exact step-by-step process, which you can follow easily. What is CPF Investment Scheme (CPFIS)? It is to provide option to CPF members to invest their CPF savings in various instruments such as insurance products, unit trusts, fixed deposits, bonds and shares in Singapore. The Average CPF Interest Rate is 2.5% to 4% for Ordinary Account. Check their latest CPF interest rate here. Below is the latest CPF rate (1st Oct to 31st Dec 2019).   Share this Infographic On Your Site </p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><

For investors who are nearing retirement or looking to retire soon, one key characteristic they should look for in REITs is income stability. This means the REIT should have a track record of paying out a dependable and predictable distribution per unit (DPU) so as to provide investors with peace of mind and a good night’s sleep. The problem is that not every REIT makes a great investment, and investors need to be discerning when it comes to choosing a REIT they can hold on to for the long term. One factor to consider is the presence of a strong sponsor, as this can lower borrowing costs for the REIT and also provide it with a ready pipeline of properties for acquisition. You should also observe the track record of asset under management (AUM) growth and the stability of DPU over th

CapitaLand is synonymous with real estate in Singapore. As one of Asia’s largest diversified real estate group, most Singaporeans would already know of, and have interacted with the brand. Outside of Singapore, the group also holds large portfolio spanning across multiple countries in Asia and outside of Asia. Investing in CapitaLand may not always be as straightforward as it seems. That’s because the group has a total of eight stocks which are listed on the Singapore Exchange. Each of these stocks offer a different investment proposition to investors, though the common similarity (besides being part of the CapitaLand group) is that the stocks are all involved primarily in real estate. As observed by SGX Market Strategist Geoff Howie, the eight stocks account for close to 12% of the d

Frasers Centrepoint Trust (SGX: J69U), or FCT, is a REIT with property portfolio comprising of suburban retail properties in Singapore. Recently, I came across FCT’s latest investor presentation and found it to be highly informative. In particular, there are two simple charts that will be useful to demonstrate why FCT is a solid REIT. Financial track record Source: FCT’s Investor Presentation There are a few interesting things to note here. To start with, FCT grew its revenue and net property income (NPI) in almost every single year, with the exception of 2016 and 2017 (mainly due to asset enhancement in Northpoint City North Wing). In the last decade, NPI has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.3%. Such a growth rate is quite impressive for a REIT, e

The addition of Mapletree Commercial Trust (SGX: N2IU), or MCT, to Singapore’s Straits Times Index (SGX: ^STI) – set to take place in late September – was officially announced earlier this week. Surprisingly, given the dominance of REITs in the Singapore stock market, it will only be the fourth REIT to form part of the benchmark index and will replace the champion of shareholder value destruction; Hutchison Port Holdings Trust (SGX: NS8U). The other three REITs; Ascendas Real Estate Investment Trust (SGX: A17U), CapitaLand Commercial Trust (SGX: C61U) and CapitaLand Mall Trust (SGX: C38U) are all giants in their own right. Yet, it’s MCT that has outpaced them, not only in 2019 but also over the longer term. Looking at MCT’s five-year returns below ver

Frasers Centrepoint Trust (SGX: J69U), or FCT, is a real estate investment trust (REIT) with a portfolio comprising of the following suburban retail properties in Singapore: Causeway Point, Northpoint City North Wing (including Yishun 10 Retail Podium), Anchorpoint, YewTee Point, Bedok Point, Changi City Point, and Waterway Point (one-third interest). It also holds a 31.15% stake in Hektar Real Estate Investment Trust (KLSE: 5121), a retail-focused REIT in Malaysia. There are two things to know about the REIT right now: its latest financial performance and valuation. Financial performance Here is a table showing important items from FCT’s financial performance for the third quarter of financial year ending 30 September 2019 (FY19). Source: FCT Result Presentation Overall, we c

Since I bought Frasers Logistics and Industrial Trust (SGX: BUOU) last year at an average price of S$1.05, its units have climbed around 15%. Despite the run-up in price, I still believe it remains an attractive investment. With that in mind, here are three reasons why I intend to hold on to this industrial-focused real estate investment trust (REIT) for now. Favourable leases Frasers Logistics and Industrial Trust, which is backed by property giant Frasers Property Ltd (SGX: TQ5), boasts a solid portfolio of properties with favourable leases. As of 30 June 2019, it had 59 Australian properties and 22 European properties.  The properties in Australia have a weighted average lease expiry of six years and negotiated annual rental increment of 3.1%. 92% of its European properties a

While most investors invest in REITs to obtain a steady stream of dividend income, the fact is that REITs also grow over time, either through organic means (through asset enhancement initiatives or renovations) or through mergers and acquisitions. Acquisitions are a favoured method because it will instantly provide a boost to both asset size (and value) and usually also comes with an increase in distribution per unit (DPU). Investors need to be discerning though – not all acquisitions are beneficial for the REIT. Some assets may be sub-par, and even for quality assets, REITs may also end up over-paying for them, resulting in value destruction for existing unitholders. Investors should carefully size up the facts and figures relating to each acquisition to assess if it boosts the ove

As one of the most popular investments in Singapore, we keep a close eye on the performance of S-REITs. After the corporate earnings announcements each quarter, we compile a comprehensive summary on our REITs Report Card column. How Singapore REITs Share Prices Have Fared In 2019, So Far Before we look at how individual REIT prices have moved, let’s look at the broad S-REIT indices in Singapore. There are two main indices – the iEdge S-REIT Index and the iEdge S-REIT 20 Index. The iEdge S-REIT Index comprises all the REITs listed in Singapore, while the iEdge S-REIT 20 Index, as its name suggests, only comprise the 20 largest and more tradeable REITs on the iEdge S-REIT Index. Read Also: Complete Guide To Investing In Singapore REITs The chart below depicts the iEdge S-REIT Index fluc

Frasers Centrepoint Trust (SGX: J69U) and CapitaLand Mall Trust (SGX: C38U) are both real estate investment trusts (REITs) that own a portfolio of shopping malls in Singapore. Over the last five years, CapitaLand Mall Trust has seen its share price rise 31.5%, while Frasers Centrepoint Trust’s shares have clocked a gain of 37.2%. Both companies have given long-term investors plenty to smile about when we consider that each of them have paid out consistent dividends throughout the years. Coupled with the fact that the SPDR Straits Times Index ETF, a low-cost exchange-traded fund that tracks Singapore’s stock market barometer, the Straits Times Index, delivered a cumulative gain of just 15.4% over the same period. But which retail mall makes the better investment over the next f

Investors choose to invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs) mainly for income, as REITs are investment vehicles that own income-generating properties. These properties provide steady, consistent and recurring rental income for the REIT, and regulations stipulate that 90% of a REIT’s earnings have to be paid out as distributions to unitholders. While the stability of a REIT’s distribution is a key attraction for investors, an added bonus will be REITs that are able to deliver consistent increases in their distribution per unit (DPU) over the long-term. Such REITs engage in a variety of methods to grow both their asset bases and their DPU. Such methods include organic growth initiatives such as asset enhancement initiatives and positive rental reversions, as well as acqu

Wharf Real Estate Investment Company’s (REIC) interim results was not too bad. Wharf REIC Interim Income Statement I first wrote about Wharf REIC here. If you are not familiar with it, you might want to get a short overview of it through that article. Operating profit showed an improvement over last year. The profit attributable to shareholders was lower due to a reduction in fair value increase of the investment properties. That portion should be OK. We should look upon the recurrent earnings or cash flow aspect of the business. The majority of the revenue for Wharf REIC (1997) is from its retail and commercial office rental income. In the past, since the cash flow is so recurring, we would annualized the earnings or cash flow. We could then assume a no growth sc

CapitaLand Mall Trust (SGX: C38U) and KEPPEL DC REIT (SGX: AJBU) are likely going to increase their DPU in the future.

The focus next week could be more on political events rather than economic numbers when Robert Mueller testifies before the House Judiciary Committee. This will be followed by a testimony before the House Intelligence Committee. In Japan, the country will be totting up the votes for its Upper House election. The Abe-led Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito […]

Investors should take note of these eight aspects of CapitaLand Mall Trust (SGX: C38U) in order to understand the REIT better.

Can anything stop Capitamall Trust (CMT)? CMT share price is simply irresistible as it went on a rampage multi-years bull run. From IPO price of $0.96 to the current $2.60, CMT share price had defied gravity as it consistently rose through the years. Nevertheless, the supreme form of the unit price has somewhat dimmed the yield, which has fallen to 3.7%. Is it the right time to enter CMT? CapitaLand Mall Trust in explosive form! While the surging CMT share price is a happy news for existing unitholders, new investors who are keen to invest in Capitamall Trust must be put off at the increasing unit price. In my view, at Price/Book Value of 1.26, I do not think that this counter is overvalued at the moment. In fact, based on my research, Capitamall Trust is considered a low risk counter base

Is CapitaLand Mall Trust (SGX: C38U) the better choice for investors than CapitaLand Commercial Trust (SGX: C61U)? Find out here.

Amid the trade dispute with the United States, China’s economy has slowed, with both industrial output and retail sales growth declining sharply. In April, industrial output growth dropped to 5.4%, compared to 8.5% in March. Retail sales rose by 7.2%, compared to a 8.7% increase in March, and the lowest in more than ten years. The FTSE ST China Index is a subset of the FTSE ST All-Share Index, comprising stocks that have reported either at least 50% of their revenues from Mainland China, or reported at least 50% of their operating assets are located in Mainland China. The 19 constituents of the index have a combined market capitalisation of more than $60 billion. From January to May 2019, the index’s 5 best-performing constituents averaged a total return of about 22%. These are Hi-P In

Two important things investors should know now before buying CapitaLand Mall Trust (SGX: RW0U).