Throngs of people swarming into a condominium show flat is a pretty common sight here in Singapore. Many locals are enamoured with physical real estate as the last 30 years of nation-building progress has seen the value of property rise at an impressive clip. As a result, many people have become very wealthy by investing in properties. However, I must caution you on two aspects. One is that the economic miracle Singapore went through in the last three decades may not be easily replicated in the next 20-30 years, as the economic, political, and social conditions that created the last miracle may not be present. The other factor is that real estate investments involve a heavy debt commitment on the part of the investor, as that person would have to borrow a significant sum of money in order

The Singapore government has announced the shifting of the current Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) container terminals located at Tanjong Pagar and Pulau Brani to Tuas, where a new mega-port is on track for completion in 2040. This is a massive, multiyear project involving lots of detailed planning, construction, and logistics. The first phase of the new port’s construction is on track for completion in 2021 and involves massive reclamation works over on the west side of Singapore. With the shift going as planned, significant amounts of prime land will thus be freed up in the central and southern region of Singapore, which the government has set aside for rejuvenation (known as the Greater Southern Waterfront project, or GSW). As investors, it’s always useful to look ahead a

No investor likes to experience the pain of a dividend cut. However, this phenomenon is almost impossible to avoid as businesses go through ups and downs according to the ebb and flow of the economy. Companies cut dividends for a variety of reasons, ranging from the need to conserve more cash for a rainy day, poorer profitability due to decreased demand for their products and services, and also preparation for a large merger and acquisition. Investors need to analyse the underlying reasons for the reduction in dividends as not all such events are negative by nature. A reduction in dividends can help prepare the company for rough weather ahead and conserve precious cash, but there are also cases where a decrease in dividends marks the start of a long, painful decline in business performanc