Regional News

Zyon Grand, a mixed-use development integrated with Havelock MRT station, saw impressive sales during its launch weekend in October 2025, with 588 units—83% of its total—sold, according to Huttons Asia. The development’s central location, excellent connectivity, and proximity to amenities were key factors attracting both investors and owner-occupiers.

The launch of Zyon Grand contributed to a strong month for developer sales, with a total of 2,037 units sold across four major projects, including Faber Residence, Penrith, and Skye at Holland. Huttons Data Analytics estimates that more than 80% of the 3-bedroom+study and bigger units sold at Zyon Grand were priced at $3m and above, highlighting the market’s liquidity.

Mark Yip, CEO of Huttons Asia, noted the appeal of Zyon Grand’s location and amenities, stating that the project attracted a diverse range of buyers. The development’s proximity to major employment hubs such as the CBD, Orchard, and SGH, as well as schools like Alexandra Primary School, River Valley Primary School, and Zhangde Primary School, added to its allure.

The demand for larger units was particularly strong, with more than 85% of 3-bedroom and larger units sold. Additionally, 79 out of 98 4-bedroom units were purchased. Falling interest rates and a potential rental yield of 4% further enticed investors, resulting in around 80% of 1- and 2-bedroom units being sold.

With high sell-out rates across major projects, developer sales in October 2025 may reach a record 2,200 units, potentially making it the best month of the year. Overall, 2025 could see developer sales reaching as high as 11,000 units, the highest since 2021.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has released a consultation paper seeking public feedback on new measures designed to improve investors’ ability to seek civil compensation for losses due to market misconduct. The proposals, announced on 24 October 2025, aim to address challenges faced by retail investors, such as difficulties in self-organisation and funding legal actions.

The Equities Market Review Group has highlighted the need to bolster investor protection as part of efforts to attract quality listings and enhance investor confidence. MAS’s proposals include three key measures: facilitating self-organisation, providing access to funding, and reducing legal barriers to civil action.

To aid self-organisation, MAS suggests appointing an independent designated representative to coordinate legal actions on behalf of affected investors. This representative must meet specific criteria to avoid conflicts of interest and ensure impartiality.

Recognising the financial burden of legal proceedings, MAS proposes a grant scheme to co-fund legitimate investor actions. This scheme aims to cover costs for the designated representative and ensure genuine claims are supported, whilst preventing opportunistic litigation through strict governance.

The proposals also seek to refine existing legal provisions, such as simplifying procedural steps for “piggyback claims” and extending their scope. Additionally, MAS suggests legislative changes to ease proof of reliance in cases of misstatements and removing statutory caps on compensation amounts.

MAS invites feedback on these proposals by 31 December 2025, as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen investor recourse and complement public enforcement actions against market misconduct.

Singapore’s manufacturing output experienced a substantial increase of 26.3% in September 2025, compared to the previous month on a seasonally adjusted basis. This impressive growth highlights a strong recovery in the sector, according to the latest data released by the Department of Statistics.

The surge in manufacturing output is a positive indicator for Singapore’s economy, suggesting a rebound in industrial activity. The increase is attributed to various factors, including heightened demand and improved production efficiencies across multiple industries. This growth is crucial as it reflects the resilience of the manufacturing sector amidst global economic challenges.

This significant rise in manufacturing output is expected to have positive implications for Singapore’s economic outlook, potentially boosting investor confidence and supporting further industrial expansion. As the sector continues to recover, it will be essential to monitor ongoing trends and their impact on the broader economy.

Singapore’s office rental landscape presented a mixed picture in Q3 2025, with the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) reporting a 0.1% quarter-on-quarter decline in the Central Region’s office rents, marking a second consecutive quarterly drop. However, Prime Central Business District (CBD) office spaces bucked the trend, recording a 2.5% increase in median rents, attributed to a flight to quality and tightening supply.

The URA data revealed that the vacancy rate for Category 1 office buildings, which includes modern and high-rental spaces, decreased to 9.9% from 11.0% in Q2 2025. Meanwhile, Category 2 office buildings saw unchanged rents with a slight vacancy increase to 11.7%. CBRE Research noted a 0.8% rise in Core CBD (Grade A) rents, with vacancy rates dropping to 5.1% in Q3 2025.

Tricia Song, CBRE Head of Research for Southeast Asia, highlighted that occupier demand remains broad-based, driven by sectors such as banking, finance, and flexible workspace operators. Notably, Paya Lebar Green achieved full occupancy following Visa’s relocation, contributing to a rental index increase in the Fringe Area.

Looking ahead, CBRE Research anticipates a continued positive momentum into Q4, forecasting a full-year rental growth of around 3% for 2025. The tight supply environment is expected to prompt occupiers to accelerate leasing decisions, with limited new supply and low vacancy supporting market resilience into 2026.

Chandra Asri Group, a leading energy and infrastructure company in Southeast Asia, has announced its acquisition of ExxonMobil’s Esso-branded retail service stations in Singapore. This strategic move, facilitated through a special purpose vehicle under its wholly-owned subsidiary, marks Chandra Asri’s entry into Singapore’s fuel retail market. The acquisition is part of the company’s long-term strategy to establish an integrated energy infrastructure in Singapore and the broader Southeast Asian region.

The President Director and CEO of Chandra Asri Group, Erwin Ciputra, emphasised the significance of this expansion, stating, “Our expansion into Singapore’s retail fuels ecosystem represents a strategic step in shaping an integrated platform for regional growth.” He highlighted Singapore’s robust fuel retail network as a compelling foundation for Chandra Asri’s ambitions to become a transformative leader in energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure solutions in the region.

Chandra Asri will continue to operate under the Esso brand and will purchase branded fuels from ExxonMobil. The company has assured that all customer loyalty points and cards will remain unchanged, and it will retain the existing ExxonMobil staff to ensure seamless continuity for customers and partners.

The transaction is pending regulatory approval and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. This acquisition underscores Chandra Asri’s commitment to enhancing Singapore’s operational agility, energy resilience, and competitiveness as a leading regional energy hub.

Allianz Malaysia Berhad, through its corporate social responsibility arm Allianz4Good, has launched the P-hailing Bikers Safety & Emergency Survival Programme aimed at enhancing the safety of riders from foodpanda and Lalamove. Conducted by the Road Safety Marshal Club, the training took place at MISAR Academy, Kampung Pandan, on 17 July and 23 August 2025.

The four-hour training session focused on improving riders’ emergency response skills and promoting safer riding behaviours. Participants learnt about personal bike inspection, helmet and PPE selection, visibility awareness, and defensive riding techniques. The programme also covered accident recovery, bike lifting, and emergency first aid.

This initiative reflects Allianz Malaysia’s commitment to rider safety, as highlighted at the Allianz Malaysia Media Forum 2025. Ng Siew Gek, Head of Allianz4Good, stated, “Riders are on the road all day; their exposure to road accident risk is real. This Programme provides riders with practical skills to prevent crashes and to respond in the first critical minutes during emergencies.”

Shubham Saran, Director of Operations at foodpanda Malaysia, emphasised the importance of such programmes, saying they provide meaningful support beyond daily operations. Jane Teh, Managing Director of Lalamove Malaysia, added that the collaboration equips riders with vital skills for safer road navigation.

By partnering with leading p-hailing platforms, Allianz Malaysia aims to foster safer deliveries and communities, ensuring riders are better prepared for the challenges they face on the road.

MetaComp, a Singapore-based cross-border payment and digital assets infrastructure provider, has announced a strategic partnership with First Digital Group to integrate the First Digital USD (FDUSD) stablecoin into its StableX platform. This collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption of FDUSD for cross-border payments, digital wealth management, and Web3 trading applications.

The partnership seeks to create a seamless blockchain-powered infrastructure that supports multijurisdictional value transfer and expands accessibility across traditional and crypto assets. By integrating FDUSD into StableX, MetaComp will provide institutional access for over-the-counter solutions and compliant cross-border payments across key regions, including Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, and South America.

The integration will enable clients to convert non-USD fiat currencies to and from FDUSD, enhancing secure and efficient cross-border fund movements. Additionally, the collaboration will strengthen compliance efforts around anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing through MetaComp’s VisionX Engine, a tool that integrates multiple on-chain analysis tools with enhanced risk measurement algorithms.

Tin Pei Ling, Co-President of MetaComp, stated, “By integrating FDUSD into our ecosystem, we are unlocking greater ability to move value across borders faster, more affordably, and interoperably whilst in compliance with regulatory standards.” Vincent Chok, Founder and Group CEO of First Digital, added, “Our shared goal is to build an inclusive financial bridge that supports real-world payments and asset management.”

The rollout of FDUSD integration into StableX will begin in Southeast Asia and Africa, with plans to expand to additional markets. Both companies are committed to regulatory engagement and user-centric innovation in delivering scalable digital asset solutions globally.

Singapore LNG Corporation (SLNG) has commenced construction of a new Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) for its second Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal. The steel cutting ceremony, held at Hanwha Ocean Shipyard in Geoje, South Korea, marks a pivotal step in bolstering Singapore’s energy infrastructure. The FSRU is designed to operate for up to 25 years without dry docking, a first in the industry, and will significantly contribute to meeting the nation’s growing energy demands.

The FSRU will boast a storage capacity of 204,000 cubic metres and a regasification capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), enough to power approximately 6 million four-room HDB flats annually. The vessel will measure 299 metres in length, 51 metres in width, and 55 metres in height, with living quarters for up to 45 crew members. It incorporates advanced digital technologies for operational efficiency and predictive maintenance, ensuring compliance and peak performance without the need for shipyard visits.

SLNG’s CEO, Leong Wei Hung, highlighted the project’s significance, stating that it will “strengthen Singapore’s energy security and support the nation’s increasing energy needs.” The FSRU is expected to be operational by the end of the decade, further advancing Singapore’s ambition to become a regional LNG hub.

Singapore’s private residential market showed remarkable resilience in the third quarter of 2025, with a significant rise in property sales and prices. According to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), the property price index increased by 0.9% in Q3, slightly down from the 1% growth in Q2 but still ahead of the 0.8% rise in Q1. Year-to-date, prices have grown by 2.7%, outpacing the 1.6% increase during the same period in 2024.

The sales volume of private homes, both non-landed and landed, excluding executive condominiums (EC), rebounded strongly by 44.4%, with 7,404 units sold in Q3 2025. This marks the highest third-quarter performance in four years, surpassing previous years’ figures. The surge was primarily driven by new home sales, which soared by over 171.3% quarter-on-quarter, thanks to an increase in new project launches offering a variety of housing options.

Despite numerous new home launches, demand for resale homes remained robust, with a 6.4% increase in resale volume from Q2 to Q3. The trend was evident across all market segments, including the Core Central Region (CCR), Rest of Central Region (RCR), and Outside Central Region (OCR).

Rental prices also rose modestly, with a 1.2% increase in Q3, marking the first time in nine quarters that rental prices exceeded a 1% rise. The private rental market faces challenges due to global economic uncertainties, but overall rental prices are expected to climb by up to 3% for the year.

Looking ahead, several new launches are planned before the year-end, with developers keen to capitalise on the positive sales momentum. Easing borrowing costs, following a recent interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve, are expected to further boost housing affordability and investor confidence. Overall market prices are projected to rise by 3.5% to 4.5% for 2025, with total sales forecasted to reach around 24,000 to 26,000 units, excluding ECs.

Singapore’s industrial property market continues to show resilience, with the JTC All Industrial Rental Index rising by 0.5% quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) in Q3 2025, marking the 20th consecutive quarter of rental increases. According to CBRE Research, led by Tricia Song, the warehouse segment saw a notable 0.9% q-o-q rent increase, driven by strong demand from third-party logistics firms and a rise in occupancy to 89.6%.

The single-user factory segment experienced a 0.7% q-o-q rent increase, with occupancy slightly up to 89.1%. Meanwhile, multi-user factories saw a more modest 0.4% q-o-q rent rise, with occupancy remaining stable. The business park segment, however, recorded a 0.2% q-o-q dip in rents, reflecting a two-tiered market where newer facilities in City Fringe locations outperformed older assets.

On the pricing front, the JTC All-Industrial Price Index increased by 0.6% q-o-q, with single-user factory prices rising by 2.1%. The financing landscape in Singapore, characterised by ample liquidity and falling interest rates, has bolstered investor sentiment, making industrial real estate an attractive investment.

Looking ahead, Singapore’s GDP grew by 1.3% q-o-q in Q3 2025, with the manufacturing sector showing signs of recovery. The demand for prime logistics space is expected to remain strong, with modern ramp-up facilities likely to see further rent increases. CBRE Research notes interest in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone as a cost-saving alternative for some occupiers.