Number of Publicly Listed Companies in Singapore Hits Lowest Level in 20 Years

According to FT, the number of companies listed on the Singapore stock exchange has fallen to its lowest level in twenty years, following the public offerings of only four companies this year and the delisting of several others. The number of companies on the Singapore Exchange declined to 617 in October, marking the lowest level since September 2004. This figure has been continuously decreasing since it reached 782 in 2013, as domestic companies are increasingly turning to overseas exchanges, particularly larger and more liquid markets like the US. Clifford Lee, the head of investment banking at DBS, Southeast Asia's largest credit institution and Singapore's most valuable public company, stated, "I definitely hope this year marks a low point. This is the result of a combination of various factors." Chinese fast fashion company Shein, which has been in Singapore since 2022, is considering listing in London with a potential market value of £50 billion, which would make it one of the largest publicly traded companies in the UK. Some of Singapore's most prominent businesses, including the super app Grab and e-commerce group Sea, have opted to go public in New York in recent years.