The SPDR STI ETF (SGX: ES3) tracks Singapore’s Straits Times Index (SGX: ^STI).
It returned 13.1% for the first half of 2026 – a solid six months.
Three blue-chips did far better.
Singapore Exchange (SGX: S68) returned 42.8% over the same period.
OCBC Ltd (SGX: O39) returned 28.2%.
Singapore Technologies Engineering (SGX: S63) returned 25.3%.
Each beat the index by more than 12 percentage points.
Out of 30 STI names, these three led, but why?
Share prices do not run ahead of the pack by accident.
Why did SGX lead the field?
SGX runs Singapore’s only stock market.
That is a rare position to hold.
For the first half of its fiscal year ending 30 June 2026 (1H2026), the bourse operator reported net revenue of S$695.4 million, up 7.6% year on year (YoY).
The Equities – Cash division led, climbing 16.2% to S$223.9 million as securities daily average traded value rose 19.5%.
FICC rose 12.5% to S$178.9 million on higher OTC FX, commodity and currency derivatives volumes.
A busier market means more trades....
