Singapore Equity & Property Outlook 2013

Singapore Equity & Property Outlook 2013 was held on 9 Jan 2013 at Ngee Ann- Adelaide Education Centre at Teochew Building -the first seminar to kick start for the year 2013. The event was jointly organised by the Australian Alumni Singapore (AAS) and Chung Ling High School Alumni (Singapore) Association. It was an evening of presentation, dinner and networking joined by more than 70 members of both alumni and their friends. The event was kindly hosted by UBS – a 150-year heritage serving private, institutional and corporate clients worldwide to deliver superior financial solutions. Ms Peggy Tan, Vice President of AAS was the MC for the evening with Mr. Ong Lay Khiam, Executive Director of UBS – the event host giving the opening speech. This was followed with Mr Loh Hoon Sun, President of AAS introducing the Speaker Mr. Tan Chin Keong, Director and a corporate analyst for the Singapore Equity and Property Research team at UBS CIO Wealth Management Research as he shared his insight views of his research on the outlook for the Singapore equities and property for 2013 Mr Tan began sharing his research on global market key players such as the United States and its potential fiscal cliff risks, the persistent worries of the European market and improving sign of China. He moved on to zoom into Singapore economy which is currently facing a tough combination of slow growth, changes in government policies leading to tightening foreign labour rules, rising labour cost, heightened inflation and using its unique moderate fiscal framework of strong Singapore dollar to hedge inflation leveraging on its strong credit rating which continue to keep interest rate at rock bottom low. Mr Tan also moved on to touch on the continuous strong property market in Singapore which has attracted a host of measures to cool residential property prices from government increasing supply record of private land sales over the next few years, reducing mortgage loan and an increasing transaction cost. He also cautioned that 2013 would be a year of test of the government regulatory versus the market expectation in the property market in which the regulatory risks remain a concern. The presentation was overwhelmed with questions such that the MC had to call it a night and even so, Mr Tan continued to be surrounded to take questions even after the closing remarks by Mr Eddie Tan, President of Chung Ling Alumni to thank the speaker, host and the guests. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the sponsor, the speaker and the guests for making this event possible and Ms Lim Mei Mei, General Manger of the Ngee Ann- Adelaide for allowing the use of the premises and logistics. It was not only an evening of investment interest to some but also a catch-up platform for others to mingle with the new and old friends. On behalf of AAS, wishing everyone a Happy 2013!

By Seah Peng Siong