THE total securities market turnover value on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) increased 18 per cent year on year (yoy) to S$29.6 billion in February, with the benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) setting record highs on three consecutive days in the month. The index hit its highest at 3,934.09 on Feb 19.
On a month-on-month basis, securities market turnover value increased 42 per cent, while securities daily average value rose 42 per cent to S$1.5 billion – the highest since May 2022, said the bourse in its monthly market statistics report on Friday (Mar 7).
This is SGX’s first market statistics update since a review committee unveiled its first set of measures to revive the local bourse were unveiled on Feb 21.
The STI outperformed its regional peers for the month of February with a 2.7 per cent year-to-date price return, and 3.1 per cent total return.
Uncertainties over the economic impact of the new US administration’s trade policies drove derivatives trading activity across asset classes.
Derivatives traded volume climbed 17 per cent yoy to 25.6 million contracts, with derivatives daily average volume up 8 per cent from a year ago at 1.4 million contracts.
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The market turnover value of structured warrants and daily leverage certificates on SGX Securities also more than doubled on a yoy and month-on-month basis to S$932 million.
Turnover of exchange-traded funds (ETF) rose 45 per cent from the year ago period to S$407 million.
Meanwhile, ETF assets under management (AUM) climbed 27 per cent from a year ago to S$13.5 billion. The rise was partly fuelled by a ninth straight month of net inflows into SPDR Gold Shares, with its local AUM surpassing S$2 billion.
In forex, the total futures traded volume on SGX foreign exchange (FX) hit an all-time high of 6.1 million contracts in February, boosted by. a record high of 2.5 million contracts for SGX INR/USD FX Futures volume
The volume of SGX USD/CNH FX Futures also increased 65 per cent yoy to 3.2 million contracts.
For commodities, benchmark iron ore derivatives traded volume gained 2 per cent yoy in February to 4.4 million contracts. The rise came on the back of increased hedging and market activities around supply risks related to the weather.
As a result, the total volume on SGX commodities rose to a three-month high of five million contracts, or a 3 per cent rise on a yoy basis.
Petrochemical derivatives volume climbed 90 per cent yoy to a record high of 2.9 million tonnes, driven by supply uncertainties in upstream oil markets and amid a growing base of participants.
Shares of SGX ended 0.4 per cent or S$0.05 higher at S$13.27 on Friday, before the announcement.
