Stocks to watch: Singapore Exchange, DFI Retail Group, Jardine Matheson

[SINGAPORE] THE following companies saw new developments that may affect trading of their securities on Tuesday (Mar 11).

Singapore Exchange (SGX): The bourse operator plans to list Bitcoin perpetual futures in the second half of 2025, according to Bloomberg. The exchange will strictly target institutional clients and professional investors, with retail customers barred from trading the instruments. While subject to due regulatory process, initial feedback has been positive from participants. “SGX Group is leading the way in the burgeoning international institutional crypto market with perpetual futures. In a space where confidence and credibility make all the difference, our innovative offering on a trusted, regulated platform will significantly expand institutional market access,” said the statement. The move is the latest sign that established exchange operators are branching out into Bitcoin derivatives, as US President Donald Trump’s pro-crypto agenda boosts demand for digital assets exposure. Shares of SGX ended Monday down 1.4 per cent, or S$0.18, at S$13.09, before the statement.

DFI Retail Group: The supermarket and retail store operator posted a 29.7 per cent rise in underlying profit to US$200.6 million for its full year ended Dec 31, 2024, from US$154.7 million in the previous corresponding period. This came even as full-year revenue fell 3.3 per cent to US$8.9 billion from US$9.2 billion in the year-ago period, said the group in a bourse filing on Monday.

The group’s net loss for the year stood at US$244.5 million, down from a net profit of US$32.2 million in the prior year. Loss per share stood at US$0.1817 for the period, down from earnings per share of US$0.0239 a year ago. The group declared a final dividend of US$0.07 per share, up from US$0.05 per share in the previous year, to be paid on May 14. This would bring the total dividend for the year to US$0.105 per share, up from US$0.08 per share in the year-ago period. DFI ended Monday flat at US$2.12, before the results were made public.

Jardine Matheson Holdings: The Hong-Kong based conglomerate on Monday logged an 11.4 per cent decline in underlying profit to US$1.5 billion for its full year ended Dec 31, 2024, from US$1.7 billion in the previous corresponding period. This came as full-year revenue fell some 0.7 per cent to US$35.8 billion from US$36 billion in the year-ago period.