Singapore’s budget moves to address the city-state’s high cost of living may benefit stocks tied to consumers, while the property sector and multinational corporations may suffer as a result of higher taxation.
(Bloomberg) — Singapore’s budget moves to address the city-state’s high cost of living may benefit stocks tied to consumers, while the property sector and multinational corporations may suffer as a result of higher taxation.
In his speech on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the government will increase handouts to citizens to help offset the increase in goods and services tax and rising living costs. On the other hand, he raised taxes on higher-value property, multinational corporations, and luxury cars. Nonetheless, the benchmark Straits Times Index closed little changed on the day.
“Addressing the cost of living is a major positive for local consumption as inflation is running high,” said Nirgunan Tiruchelvam, an analyst at Aletheia Capital Ltd. “The increase in handouts and the focus on creating job opportunities will aid stocks tied to consumers.”
The S$104-billion ($78.4-billion) spending plan is intended to push residents closer to a post-Covid reality while easing near-term cost-of-living pressures.
Here are details of what analysts see as the main winners and losers from the budget:
WINNERS
Consumer Stocks
Singapore’s plan to increase its handouts to citizens by S$3 billion to S$9.6 billion in the fiscal year starting April, to help offset higher price pressures, will be positive for stocks tied to local consumption.
Food and beverage manufacturer Fraser and Neave Ltd., grocer Sheng Siong Group Ltd. and restaurants and food caterers such as Jumbo Group Ltd. and Kimly Ltd. could all benefit. Keppel REIT and other consumption-focused real estate investment trusts may also gain.
Read: Singapore Boosts Cushion Against Rising Costs by $2.26 Billion
The moves could also help vulnerable borrowers cope with rising inflation, offsetting potential threats to local banks’ risk profile,” Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Rena Kwok and Sheenu Gupta wrote in a note.
Aged Care
Singapore’s move to add more resources for lower-income seniors can aid hospital operators such as Raffles Medical Group Ltd. and IHH Healthcare Bhd.
Wong plans to top up the ElderCare Fund by S$500 million and the MediFund by S$1.5 billion.
Manpower
Wong’s plans aimed at turbocharging job opportunities for Singaporeans implies more business for staffing-solutions providers such as HRnetgroup Ltd.
The city-state will top up national productivity fund by S$4 billion, develop labor-market intermediaries who can go through industry training and employment facilitation, and extend the Senior Employment Credit and the Part-time Re-employment Grant.
HRnetgroup’s shares extended gains after budget announcements to close 2.4% higher.
LOSERS
Property
Singapore will raise taxes for higher-value properties in an attempt to boost revenue and help fund an array of spending programs.
The residential properties in excess of S$1.5 million and up to S$3 million will be taxed one percentage point higher at 5%. Properties in excess of S$3 million will be taxed two percentage points higher at 6%.
Stocks to watch include property firms such as City Developments Ltd. and UOL Group Ltd.
Multinationals
Singapore intends to set its effective tax rate for multinational enterprises at 15% starting 2025, in line with a global agreement to increase the floor rate. Some world-renowned multinationals with presence in Singapore include Apple Inc., Sony Group Corp. and Amazon.com Inc.
Such a move may also weigh on multiple members of the Straits Times Index, if they qualify as multinational corporations under local laws.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.