Core Insights - Asia's tourism sector is experiencing a significant recovery post-COVID-19, driven by pent-up demand in travel and consumer spending [1][14] - Companies with direct links to hospitality and aviation are well-positioned to benefit from this recovery [1][15] Group 1: CDL Hospitality Trusts (SGX: J85) - CDL Hospitality Trusts holds a diverse portfolio of hotels and resorts across multiple countries, allowing for operational efficiencies [3][6] - For 1H2025, revenue decreased by 1.7% YoY to S$125.1 million, with net property income falling 11.9% YoY to S$58.6 million [4][5] - Despite mixed results, certain regions like Japan and Perth showed strong RevPAR growth of 13.7% and 15.9% YoY respectively [4][5] Group 2: Genting Singapore (SGX: G13) - Genting Singapore operates Resorts World Sentosa, benefiting from increased visitor numbers post-pandemic [7][8] - Revenue for 1H2025 was S$1.2 billion, reflecting a 10% decrease due to renovations and temporary closures [7][8] - The opening of the Singapore Oceanarium is expected to enhance recovery in the non-gaming segment [9] Group 3: SATS Ltd (SGX: S58) - SATS Ltd is a leading provider of ground handling and food solutions, experiencing a 9.9% YoY revenue increase in 1QFY2026 [11][12] - Gateway Services revenue rose 11.2% YoY to S$1.18 billion, while Food Solutions revenue increased by 5.6% YoY to S$328.3 million [12] - The company faces risks from external disruptions and revenue concentration, but remains a key beneficiary of the tourism boom [13]

Core Insights - The Straits Times Index (STI) serves as the main benchmark for Singapore's stock market, tracking the top 30 listed companies known as blue chips, which are recognized for their strong reputations and financial stability [1] Sector Allocation - The STI is heavily weighted towards the financial sector, with the three largest banks—DBS Group Holdings, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation, and United Overseas Bank—accounting for nearly 50% of the index [2] - Real estate contributes around 16% to the STI, with key constituents including CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust and CapitaLand Ascendas REIT [3] - Industrials represent almost 10% of the index, with Jardine Matheson Holdings holding the largest weightage at 3.8% [3] - The technology sector is the smallest in the index, with a weightage of just 0.89% [4] Investment Opportunities - Investing in the STI is facilitated by exchange-traded funds (ETFs), notably the SPDR STI ETF, which closely mirrors the index's performance with a tracking error of approximately 0.23% [5] - The SPDR STI ETF offers a dividend yield of 4.1% and has a 10-year annualized return of 7.76% [6] - The fund maintains a low expense ratio of 0.28%, allowing more invested funds to remain in the market [7] Fund Characteristics - The SPDR STI ETF has over S$2 billion in assets under management, providing high liquidity for investors [7] - Monthly factsheets are available for retail investors, offering transparency regarding fund holdings [8] Economic Role - The 30 blue chips in the STI are considered the backbone of Singapore's economy, providing a reliable foundation for investment [10]

Core Insights - Blue-chip stocks are essential for a stable investment portfolio, providing a reliable source of passive income through dividends [1] Group 1: DBS Group (SGX: D05) - DBS is Singapore's largest bank by market capitalization, offering a wide range of banking, insurance, and investment services [3] - In 1H 2025, total income rose by 5% year on year to S$11.6 billion, driven by a 3.2% increase in net interest income to S$7.3 billion [3] - Fee and commission income surged 17% year on year to S$2.4 billion, with profit before tax reaching a record S$6.8 billion, up 3% year on year [4] - Net profit decreased by 1% year on year to S$5.7 billion due to a 15% global minimum tax rate [4] - An interim dividend of S$0.75 was declared, which is 39% higher than the previous year's S$0.54 [5] Group 2: Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX: S68) - SGX is the sole stock exchange operator in Singapore, enjoying a natural monopoly [6] - For FY2025, net revenue increased by 11.7% year on year to S$1.3 billion, with net profit excluding one-off items climbing 16% year on year to S$609.5 million [6] - A final dividend of S$0.105 was declared, 16.7% higher than the previous year's S$0.09 [7] - SGX anticipates medium-term revenue growth of 6% to 8% per annum, supported by product developments and global partnerships [8] Group 3: Singapore Technologies Engineering (SGX: S63) - STE operates in aerospace, smart city, and public security sectors, known for consistent dividend payouts [9] - Revenue for 1H 2025 rose 7.2% year on year to S$5.9 billion, with operating profit improving by 15.2% year on year to S$602.2 million [9] - Net profit increased nearly 20% year on year to S$402.8 million, with an interim dividend of S$0.04 declared [10] - The order book stood at S$31.2 billion, with S$5 billion expected to be delivered for the remainder of the year [10] Group 4: SATS Ltd (SGX: S58) - SATS provides air cargo handling services and is Asia's leading airline caterer, operating over 225 stations across 27 countries [12] - Revenue for 1Q FY2026 rose 9.9% year on year to S$1.5 billion, while operating profit increased nearly 11% year on year to S$125.2 million [13] - Net profit increased by 9.1% year on year to S$70.9 million, with cargo tonnage reaching a record high of 3.2 million tonnes [13] - The number of flights handled rose 3.2% year on year to 279,100, and meals served increased by 5.6% year on year to 39.1 million [14]

Group 1: DBS Group Holdings Ltd - DBS Group Holdings Ltd is up 17.8% year to date (YTD) and reported solid results for the second quarter of 2025, with net interest income (NII) remaining resilient despite expected interest rate cuts [2][3] - The bank experienced strong deposit growth of 5% year on year (YoY) in the first half of 2025 and proactive hedging against lower rates [3] - Fee income from wealth management grew 25.3% YoY to S$649 million, contributing 46.5% of total fee income [3][4] Group 2: SATS Ltd - SATS Ltd is down approximately 10.4% YTD, but global travel demand is projected to grow at 6.5% YoY in 2025, which may aid in recovery [5] - Following the acquisition of Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), SATS's total income increased 5% YoY to S$5.7 billion, with net interest income up 2% YoY to S$3.6 billion [6] - The company declared a dividend per share of S$0.75 for 2Q 2025, with an ordinary dividend increase of 11% compared to the previous year [6][8] Group 3: Genting Singapore Ltd - Genting Singapore Ltd's shares are relatively unchanged YTD, with lackluster results in the first half of 2025 due to renovation disruptions and temporary closures [9][14] - The company is expected to benefit from a rise in international visitor arrivals, particularly from Chinese tourists, which could boost its premium gaming market [10] - A final dividend of S$0.02 per share was declared, unchanged from the previous year, despite a decline in gaming revenue by 12.3% YoY [14] Group 4: Singtel - Singtel is up 40.5% YTD, driven by recovery in mobile and roaming services, alongside growth in data centres and regional associates [11] - The company plans to invest S$2.5 billion in capital expenditures, with S$1.7 billion allocated for core expenditure and S$0.8 billion for data centres [12] - Singtel's underlying net profit for dividend payout increased 14% YoY to S$686 million, with a total core dividend of S$0.123 per share, representing a 2.8% yield [15][16]

Core Viewpoint - The Straits Times Index has reached new heights, with Singapore blue-chip stocks experiencing significant gains, raising questions about the sustainability of this rally and potential corrections in the market [1][12]. Group 1: CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (CICT) - CICT is one of Singapore's largest REITs, owning prime office and retail properties, and has shown resilience with a solid occupancy rate of 96.3% as of June 2025 [3][4]. - Retail rents increased by 7.7% and office rents by 4.8%, indicating strong demand for its properties [4]. - The gearing ratio stands at 37.9%, which is manageable, and the interest cover is at 3.1 times, providing room to manage borrowing costs [4]. - CICT's price-to-book ratio is just under 1.1, suggesting it is trading close to its underlying asset value, which may cushion against potential downturns [5]. Group 2: Frasers Centrepoint Trust (FCT) - FCT owns suburban malls that serve as community hubs, achieving a retail occupancy rate of 99.5% as of June 2025, indicating near-full occupancy [6][7]. - Shopper traffic increased by 1% year on year, and tenant sales rose by 3.3%, demonstrating the malls' importance to the community [7]. - FCT's cost of debt has decreased below 4%, providing financial relief, and its gearing is at 38.6%, still below the 50% cap [8]. - The upcoming asset enhancement at Hougang Mall, which is 64% pre-leased, is expected to drive future growth [8]. Group 3: SATS Ltd - SATS has evolved into a global aviation and food solutions provider following its acquisition of Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), with first-quarter revenue for fiscal 2026 rising nearly 10% year on year to S$1.5 billion [9][10]. - Operating margins improved to 8.3%, and revenue from Gateway Services increased by 11.2% year on year [10]. - The integration of WFS is ahead of schedule, and new contracts with major airlines highlight SATS's expanding global presence [10]. - The gross debt-to-equity ratio has eased to 1.5 times, and the fiscal 2025 dividend of S$0.05 reflects management's confidence in cash flow [11]. Group 4: Investment Considerations - The current market rally does not imply that all stocks are overpriced; strong businesses with solid fundamentals can still present investment opportunities [12][13]. - CICT offers exposure to prime commercial real estate with a 5% yield, FCT provides defensive suburban retail exposure, and SATS represents a transformation play with expanding operations [12]. - Investors are advised to focus on quality businesses at reasonable valuations rather than chasing market momentum [13].