Financial Horse - Singapore Stock and REIT Investments 🐴

Interest rates are rising again – T-bills at 1.9%, bonds at 3%, or S-REITs at 6.6%? Where I would park S$100,000 of cash todayBack in August I wrote that T-bills paid just 1.56%, and that the honest answer for cash was to accept a small real loss.6 weeks later, the US 10-year yield has touched 5.36% – the highest since 2002.The 6-month T-bill has jumped to 1.90%, and the November Singapore Savings Bond pays 2.45% – the best issue this year.All while S-REITs, which pay 6.6%, are down close to 10% in 2026 while the STI is up more than 20%.So… if I had S$100,000 of cash to park today – T-bills, bonds, or REITs?https://financialhorse.com/interest-rates-are-rising-again-t-bills-at-1-9-bonds-at-3-or-s-reits-at-6-6-where-i-would-park-s100000-of-cash-today/

DBS, OCBC and UOB plunge 10% this week – buy the dip, or is more downside coming?The price action in the Singapore banks this week was… not pretty.OCBC is down 10% from Tuesday’s high, UOB 8%, DBS 6% – and on Thursday the STI had its worst day since April 2025.What caused the crash?And would I buy the dip, or is more downside coming?https://financialhorse.com/dbs-ocbc-and-uob-plunge-10-this-week-buy-the-dip-or-is-more-downside-coming/

To some people, “luxury” means overpriced branding.To others, it means craftsmanship, rarity, and deep enjoyment.Both groups are right—depending on what you’re buying and why.So is “the best luxury purchases that are worth your money” an oxymoron?https://financialhorse.com/the-best-luxury-purchases-that-are-worth-your-money-is-this-an-oxymoron/

Nike and Lululemon fall 80% to lowest price in 10 years — will I buy either stock?Quite a few of you have asked me about Nike, after the stock got dropped from the S&P 100.And a few more have asked about Lululemon, after it fell 17% in a single day on its results earlier this month.Both are down approximately 80% from all time highs.For transparency – I do not hold either name today. I used to hold a small position in LULU but I closed it after realising the stock was in a downtrend.This is an FH Premium article that I am releasing to all readers, in the hopes that it helps your thought process. https://financialhorse.com/nike-and-lululemon-fall-80-to-lowest-price-in-10-years-will-i-buy-either-stock/

Top 5 dividend stocks to buy in Singapore today – 4% dividend yield minimum. Which would I actually buy after the Fed hike?Okay so quite a few of you have asked me which dividend stocks are still worth buying in this market.The STI is up 22% this year and DBS and OCBC are sitting near all-time highs.All while S-REITs, the traditional dividend play in Singapore, are down about 13% in 2026.For what it’s worth, I did this exact exercise in October last year, and the 5 names were OCBC, Sembcorp, Singtel, CICT and UOB.A year on – OCBC is up 89%, UOB is up 20%, Singtel is flat, CICT is down 5% and Sembcorp is down 9% (price only, before dividends).So… one year on – which 5 dividend stocks would make my list today?https://financialhorse.com/top-5-dividend-stocks-to-buy-in-singapore-today-4-dividend-yield-minimum-which-would-i-actually-buy-after-the-fed-hike/

DINKs — dual income, no kids — are often discussed in financial terms. Two incomes. No child-related expenses. More disposable income. From the outside, it can look like a purely financial advantage. But that is probably too simplistic. Dual Income, No Kids (DINKs) in Singapore — The Hidden Financial Riskshttps://financialhorse.com/dual-income-no-kids-dinks-in-singapore-the-hidden-financial-risks/

Top 4 Irish-domiciled ETFs to avoid US estate tax (40%) and dividend withholding tax (30%) – S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, MSCI WorldOkay so quite a few of you have asked me about the 4 ETFs listing on SGX on 13 October.S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, MSCI World, and S&P 500 Equal Weight.All 4 are Irish-domiciled, trade in SGD, and can be bought with SRS money.Why does Irish-domiciled matter?Because if you hold US-listed ETFs like VOO or SPY, you are paying 2 taxes to the IRS.30% of every dividend, and up to 40% of the portfolio when you die.An Irish-domiciled ETF fixes both.So in this article I wanted to discuss:1. What the 2 taxes cost for a Singapore investor2. The 4 ETFs – which to buy, which to skip3. Whether to buy them on SGX, or stick with CSPX and VUAA in Londonhttps://financialhorse.com/top-4-irish-domiciled-etfs-to-avoid-us-estate-tax-40-and-dividend-withholding-tax-30-sp-500-nasdaq-100-msci-world/

Ascendas REIT falls to 2020 COVID prices – Will I buy this REIT at 6.6% dividend yield? Or cut loss?This week Ascendas REIT traded at S$2.28 – the lowest price since the March 2020 crash.And this is happening while DBS and OCBC sit near record highs, and the STI is up 22% this year.That being said, the S-REIT sector is down about 13% in 2026. Ascendas REIT is down 19%.So this is not just “REITs are down”, it looks like Ascendas REIT is doing especially badly even among REITs.So… Will I sell this REIT, or buy more at 6.6% dividend yield?https://financialhorse.com/ascendas-reit-falls-to-2020-covid-crash-prices-will-i-sell-this-reit-or-buy-more/

Most people think retirement planning is about one question:“How much money is enough to retire?”But that is only half the issue.An important question to ask yourself is:“What can go wrong after retirement — and what’s the plan?”https://financialhorse.com/the-biggest-retirement-risks-in-singapore-its-not-just-running-out-of-money/

Should you defer CPF LIFE to 70 for S$2,380 a month instead of S$1,780 — is the 5-year wait worth S$107,000?Okay so when I wrote about which pot to drain first in retirement, I said that deferring CPF LIFE deserved its own article — and quite a few of you took me up on it.So here it is.CPF’s own example is a member with S$220,400 in his Retirement Account on the Standard Plan: S$1,780 a month if he starts at 65, or S$2,380 a month if he waits until 70.S$600 a month more, for life, for waiting 5 years.The catch is that those 5 years cost you 60 payouts of S$1,780 — about S$107,000 that has to come out of your own pocket instead.So 3 questions:1. At what age do you break even?2. What do the 5 years of waiting actually cost — and does it matter where the money comes from?3. Who should not defer?https://financialhorse.com/should-you-defer-cpf-life-to-70-for-s2380-a-month-instead-of-s1780-is-the-5-year-wait-worth-s107000/

Grab shares plunge 59% in 1 year – Will I sell my shares or buy more?Okay so quite a few of you have asked me about Grab.And I understand why – Grab closed at US$2.81 this week.The lowest since mid 2023.And it is now down 59% since its high of 6.60 just late last year.Yet all 26 analysts covering Grab rate it a Buy, with an average target price of US$5.86 – double today’s price.I hold grab shares with an average price of $3 – $4, so I am definitely down on this position.So... will I sell my shares, or will I buy more?https://financialhorse.com/grab-shares-plunge-59-in-1-year-will-i-sell-my-shares-or-buy-more/

Wealth planning sounds like something only billionaires need.The rich may have more assets, more advisers, and more complicated estates. But the basic problems are the same for ordinary families.The famous cases are useful because they show what happens when wealth planning fails at scale.The names are glamorous.The mistakes are painfully ordinary.https://financialhorse.com/famous-wealth-planning-mistakes-and-what-we-can-learn-from-them/

Keppel DC REIT buys two Tokyo data centres for S$1.37 billion — is this a good deal, and will I buy this REIT at 4.7% dividend yield?In case you missed it, Keppel DC REIT announced last week that it is buying two data centres in Inzai, Greater Tokyo, for S$1.37 billion.To pay for it, the REIT raised S$625 million in a private placement at S$2.10 a unit.Quite a few of you have asked me what I make of it, so in this article I wanted to discuss:1. Is this Tokyo acquisition a good deal for existing unitholders?2. What does the Japanese yen have to do with it?3. Would I buy Keppel DC REIT at S$2.24?https://financialhorse.com/keppel-dc-reit-buys-two-tokyo-data-centres-for-s1-37-billion-is-this-a-good-deal-and-will-i-buy-this-reit-at-4-7-dividend-yield/#So_is_it_a_good_deal_and_will_I_buy

OCBC is cheap (undervalued) at $32? – Why I disagree despite being a shareholderOver the weekend, an article popped up on my Google feed with the title “OCBC is cheap (undervalued) at $32.27. Not Kidding.”Now OCBC is my biggest bank position, so naturally I wanted it to be right.I mean, why would I not want this position to double from here.But wanting something to be true is not the same as it being true, so I sat down and ran the numbers myself.And I wanted to share the numbers with you guys – whether OCBC is truly undervalued.https://financialhorse.com/ocbc-is-cheap-undervalued-at-32-why-i-disagree-despite-being-a-shareholder/

Some things are absolutely worth “overpaying” for – because they buy back energy, time, and sanity for years.Others just drain cash and add zero long-term happiness.Lifestyle Upgrades Worth The Splurge?https://financialhorse.com/lifestyle-upgrades-worth-the-splurge/

Your spouse inherits S$1 million and has never bought a stock — what should the portfolio look like?Okay so this one comes from a reader comment on the last article.“Part 1: Cannot siam US estate tax easily.Part 2: Where your spouse can find your money.We need a Part 3 — how your spouse should set up a fuss-free portfolio when they are less financially savvy.”Fair point.Part 1 covered how long your family waits before they see a cent. Part 2 covered the one-page plan so they can actually find the money.Neither answered the obvious next question — what do they do with it once they have it?And the best starting point is this: the goal is not to turn your spouse into a hardcore investor picking 30 different stocks globally and managing stop losses.The goal is to build a portfolio that doesn’t need them to be one.https://financialhorse.com/your-spouse-inherits-s1-million-and-has-never-bought-a-stock-what-should-the-portfolio-look-like/

S-REITs are back at Iran-war lows and yield 6.4% — will I buy back the REITs I sold this year?Okay so after the inflation article last week, quite a few of you have asked me for my views on S-REITs and interest rates.Especially after the article on the local banks, where I said I was holding the banks but not adding at these valuations.The S-REIT index has fallen all the way back to the lows we saw during the Iran war in March and April.Singapore REITs are down about 7% in 2026, while the STI is up more than 20% and the local banks sit near their highs.At today’s prices, the sector yields about 6.4% on forward distributions.So… are REITs a good buy?And what would I do with the REITs I still own, given I’ve been selling REITs all year?https://financialhorse.com/s-reits-are-back-at-iran-war-lows-and-yield-6-4-will-i-buy-back-the-reits-i-sold-this-year/

Most people think financial problems are about numbers.They are not.At least, not only about numbers.Behind every financial decision is a story ...https://financialhorse.com/how-to-unpack-financial-baggage-and-finally-take-control-of-your-money-in-singapore/

Singapore inflation jumps to 2.2% — but T-bills pay just 1.56%. Where should you park cash now?In case you missed it — Singapore headline inflation just came in at 2.2%.That is the highest reading since August 2024.At the same time, the latest completed 6-month T-bill auction paid just 1.56%.In plain English, almost every conventional place to park cash in Singapore now offers a headline yield below the current inflation rate.So in this article, I wanted to cover 3 questions:1. Why is inflation back?2. Which cash instruments still offer a yield above inflation, if any?3. Where would I park cash today?https://financialhorse.com/singapore-inflation-jumps-to-2-2-but-t-bills-pay-just-1-56-where-should-you-park-cash-now/

Keppel Infrastructure Trust pays a 7.6% dividend yield — will I finally sell this business trust?Okay so quite a few of you have asked me about Keppel Infrastructure Trust (KIT).And I understand why — the unit price is up more than 30% from its June 2025 low, yet it still offers a 7.6% trailing yield.I bought KIT in the low 40s in 2023, so to be fair this investment has done very well for me.Including distributions, I’ve made almost 50-60% on my investment over a 3 year period, working out to almost a 20% annualised return.Well this month, I decided to finally take profit in this business trust.https://financialhorse.com/keppel-infrastructure-trust-pays-a-7-6-dividend-yield-will-i-finally-sell-this-business-trust/

Healthcare has three powerful structural tailwinds. The global population is ageing. Ageing, Innovation and AI: 10 Healthcare Stocks Positioned to Benefithttps://financialhorse.com/ageing-innovation-and-ai-10-healthcare-stocks-positioned-to-benefit/

Retiring with S$2 million in cash, SRS, CPF and stocks — which should you draw down first?Quite a few of you have asked me about this since the 4% rule article.Say you retire with S$2 million spread across cash, an SRS account, CPF and a brokerage account full of stocks.Which pot should you draw down first?Most people never plan this. They spend whatever feels most liquid and leave the SRS untouched “to compound tax-deferred” — because that is what many American retirement guides say to do.But on a S$400,000 SRS account, that instinct could cost you S$21,150 in tax.https://financialhorse.com/retiring-with-s2-million-in-cash-srs-cpf-and-stocks-which-should-i-draw-down-first/

How I would invest $1 million today – amid higher interest rates and the Iran warSo in an article earlier this month, some of you guys pointed out that I didn’t actually share how I would invest $1 million in this market.On reflection, you guys were right – and my sincere apologies for the misleading title.So I figured, let’s do a proper piece that tackles the topic head-on.Assuming I have no investments today.And you gave me $1 million to invest as I deem fit.How would I invest the $1 million today?https://financialhorse.com/how-i-would-invest-1-million-today-amid-higher-interest-rates-and-the-iran-war/

It is not always about who has the most recognizable logo, the longest boutique queue, or the most viral handbag. Sometimes the more interesting question is:What do powerful, famous, or ultra-rich people buy when they do not need anyone else to recognise it?https://financialhorse.com/10-ultra-luxury-brands-you-probably-dont-know-about/

Focus into more wealth 🔥In investing, use diversification for survival, and concentration for impact 💡https://www.instagram.com/p/DcODvrRAezQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsi=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

OCBC profit up 22%, UOB down 5% — which Singapore bank would I buy after record Q2 earnings?Okay so quite a few of you have asked me for my views on the Singapore bank results.DBS and OCBC both reported record quarterly profits, and both stocks hit fresh all-time highs.UOB reported a 10% rise in profits — and the stock fell almost 5%.So… with the earnings result and price move, which is the best Singapore bank to buy today?https://financialhorse.com/ocbc-profit-up-22-uob-down-5-which-singapore-bank-would-i-buy-after-record-q2-earnings/

The big health risks in Singapore are fairly clear. Based on MOH’s 2024 death data, the top causes of death were cancer, pneumonia, ischaemic heart disease, stroke, and hypertensive diseases.So the practical question is:What are the biggest health risks in Singapore, and how should Singaporeans prepare financially?https://financialhorse.com/the-5-biggest-health-risks-in-singapore-and-how-singaporeans-should-prepare-financially/

If you died tomorrow, can your family actually run your portfolio? The one-page plan + 5 documents to leave behindOkay so this one is by popular demand.At the end of the brokerage account article, I asked whether there was interest in a piece on how to leave behind a portfolio your spouse/kids can actually run.A LOT of you said yes.So I decided to sit down to answer the question properly — if I died tomorrow, could my family actually take over my portfolio?https://financialhorse.com/if-you-died-tomorrow-can-your-family-actually-run-your-portfolio-the-one-page-plan-5-documents-to-leave-behind/

If you had to name the trade of 2026 so far, it wouldn’t be AI.It would be Singapore.The STI is sitting at an all-time high of around 5,500, up a whopping 32% over the past 12 months. The Singapore dollar is one of the strongest currencies in the world right now, and money has been flowing into Singapore assets as a safe haven amid everything going on in the Middle East.So it’s no surprise that Lion Global Investors – the asset management arm of the OCBC group – is offering investors a broader range of funds focused on Singapore assets: the LionGlobal Signature Singapore Suite. The suite covers everything from money market funds to Singapore equities to physical gold vaulted in Singapore.https://financialhorse.com/sti-at-all-time-highs-gold-down-26-from-the-peak-should-you-buy-the-lionglobal-signature-singapore-suite/

The money lessons children remember are usually not taught in a lecture.They are learned in the supermarket, at the dining table, through pocket money, through work, and through watching how adults behave when money is tight or tempting.https://financialhorse.com/the-most-important-lessons-to-teach-your-kids-about-money/