STABLE, TRUSTED MARKET
Industry observers attribute the rebound largely to Singapore’s reputation for political stability, regulatory clarity and economic resilience.
Mr Chan Yew Kiang, ASEAN and Singapore IPO leader at business services firm EY, believes last year was the start of “renewed interest” in the Singapore equity market.
He said: “A large part has to do with Singapore (being) very stable, whether it’s politically or economically, and from a regulatory perspective. As long as we maintain the right balance, we will continue to attract interest from companies in Asia Pacific and internationally.”
That interest is already translating into a busier IPO pipeline.
Mr Chan said he now receives one to two IPO enquiries every other week, compared with roughly the same number over an entire year in the past.
“Companies these days need capital to grow, and they need to grow fast just to be able to compete … and the IPO remains a very strong source of funds for such companies who have got big growth plans,” he added.
