For those new to investing, putting your money in a benchmark country index is one of the easiest and safest ways to begin your journey. In Singapore, the benchmark index is the Straits Times Index (STI), and there are two STI ETFs – SPDR STI ETF and Nikko AM STI ETF – that we can invest in. What Is A Benchmark Index? A benchmark index of a country usually refers to the largest and most liquid stocks listed on its stock market. In Singapore, the Straits Times Index (STI) is made up of the 30 largest (by market capitalisation) stocks listed in Singapore. Combined, these companies comprise approximately 80% of the entire market value of stocks listed in Singapore. Hence, how the 30 stocks on the STI performs is representative of how the Singapore market performs. The STI is co

A bank account is essential for helping us manage our savings and finances. We can pay our bills with it, transfer funds to others, keep cash for contingencies that we can conveniently access from an ATM network, and more. However, many bank accounts in Singapore have a minimum average balance (usually from $500 to as high as $3,000) that has to be maintained in the account each month. If this balance is not met, a monthly fall-below fee of between $2 and $5 is imposed. For those who don’t want to be penalised because they don’t pay attention to their monthly balances or are tight on cashflow, here are 4 bank accounts that do not come with any fall-below fees: Bank Account Main Features At A Glance Standard Chartered SuperSalary – Receive 0.2% on top of regul

United Overseas Bank (UOB) is a leading bank in Asia with a global network of over 500 branches and offices in 19 countries and territories in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America. As of 31 December 2021, UOB has total assets of S$459 billion. In terms of total assets, the bank is the third largest in Southeast Asia. UOB currently offers commercial and corporate banking services, personal services, private banking, and asset management services, as well as corporate finance, venture capital, investment, and insurance. I attended UOB’s 2022 AGM to learn more about how the pandemic impacted UOB’s performance, and the management’s outlook amid a rising interest rate environment. Here are eight things I learned from the 2022 UOB AGM. 1. Net profit after tax increased 40% yea

After the startling rise of billionaires in Singapore last year during the height of the pandemic, the rise of the richest in Singapore seems to have tapered slightly, with the net worth of many of these billionaires being slightly lesser than last year. This year’s billionaire list according to Forbes, includes some notable mainstays and new entrants. Read Also: [2021 Edition] The Richest In Singapore And How They Made Their Fortunes #1 Li Xiting Net Worth: $17.6 Billion Global Ranking: #94 Industry: Healthcare Net Worth in 2021: $21.5 Billion Retaining the top spot is Li Xiting, founder and chairman of Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronic. Born in China, Li is a naturalised Singapore citizen. A supplier of medical devices and headquartered in Shenzhen, his wealth was propelled by th

Not too long ago, profitable investing and doing good for the planet used to be objectives that sit on the extreme ends of a spectrum. On one hand, investors aim to maximise their returns by investing in the right companies while on the other hand, saving the earth usually means that you need to fork out money instead to help causes that you believe in. However, this is about to change as global warming becomes the defining crisis of our time. We can no longer ignore the disastrous effects of climate change which bring about more frequent and intense drought, heat waves, rising sea levels and warming oceans. In fact, there is a burgeoning group of retail investors looking to make their money work for a greater good by investing in companies that focus on environmental, social and governanc

Are you worrying about the current stock market fears which may become the next Black Swan: Russia / Ukraine war, high inflation and interest rate hike, resulting in significant market correction? Is it time to Buy, Hold, Sell, Wait or Shorting? In this Dr Tee 1.5hr video education (6 Giant Singapore Banking & Finance Stocks under Potential Black Swan), you will learn:1) Impact of Political Economy and Business on Stocks– Russia / Ukraine War– High Inflation & Interest Rates Hike– Recent Final Financial Reports of Case Studies 2) Singapore Stock Market Outlook– Short term, medium term & long term 3) 6 Giant Singapore Banking & Finance Stocks– SG Giant Bank Stock: DBS Bank (SGX: D05)– SG Giant Bank Stock: OCBC Bank (SGX: O39)

This post was written in collaboration with State Street Global Advisors. While we are financially compensated by them, we nonetheless strive to maintain our editorial integrity and review products with the same objective lens. We are committed to providing the best information in order for you to make personal financial decisions with confidence. You can view our Editorial Guidelines here. “Buy ETFs!” is one of the most frequent pieces of investment advice newbies tend to hear. But when Singaporeans talk about exchange-traded funds (ETFs),  a popular category often comes to mind — the Straits Times Index or STI tracking family of ETFs. The most well-known of the bunch is the SPDR® Straits Times Index ETF (ES3), or the SPDR STI ETF. You see, the SPDR fund was the first ETF known

One of the biggest complaints that Singaporeans have about their CPF savings is that we never actually see the money we’ve saved. Then there’s the other complaint — that the interest rates of the CPF accounts are too low to combat inflation. This is where the CPF Investment Scheme (CPFIS) comes in to save the day. Wait a minute, don’t I already get interest on my CPF? Yes, you do. While the returns aren’t insanely high, they’re still a lot better than leaving your cash in a bank account. And the interest is risk-free! Here are the current interest rates on CPF accounts: Account type Annual interest rate Bonus interest Ordinary Account (OA) 2.5% +1% on first $60,000 (capped at $20,000 for OA) +2% on first $30,000 for 55 years old and up (capped at $20,000 for OA) Spec

In this Dr Tee 2hr video education (4 Growth Investing and Momentum Trading Stocks), you will learn:1) US and Singapore Stock Market Outlook – Short term, medium term & long term2) LOFTP Investing Strategies for Growth Investing and Momentum Trading – Level Analysis (L1 Stock, L1 Sector, L3 Country, L4 World) – Optimism Analysis (0-100%) – Fundamental Analysis (Strong / Weak) – Technical Analysis (Follow-trend / Counter-trend) – Personal Analysis (Short Term Trading / Long Term Investing) 3) 4 US & Singapore Giant Stocks from 4 Promising Sectors – US Giant Finance Stock: BlackRock (NYSE: BLK) – US Giant Technology Stock: Alphabet / Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) – Singapore Giant Luxury Stock: