Investing Updates : T-bill yield rebounds to 2.73% as demand dives

Source : 

https://growbeansprout.com/t-bill-allotment-26-mar-2025

Apple Intelligence : 

• T-bill Yield Change: The cut-off yield for the 6-month Singapore T-bill auction on 26 March rebounded to 2.73%.

• T-bill Application Change: Total applications for the 6-month Singapore T-bill declined S$15.8 billion from the previous auction.

• Competitive Bid Change: The amount of competitive bids decreased to S$14.4 billion from the previous auction.

• T-bill Allocation: Competitive bids below 2.73% received full allocation, while non-competitive bids totaling S$1.4 billion were also fully allocated.

• T-bill Applications and Issuance: Total applications decreased to S$15.8 billion, resulting in a lower application-to-issuance ratio (2.14x) compared to the previous auction (2.64x).

• SSB Applications: Applications for the Singapore Savings Bond (SSB) increased to S$678 million, the highest since September 2024, driven by its higher 10-year average interest rate.

• T-bill Yield Rebound: The T-bill yield rebounded to 2.73%, driven by a fall in demand and a shift towards other safe options like SSB.

• Comparison with Other Investments: The T-bill yield is now above the best 6-month fixed deposit rate but below the break-even yield for CPF OA applications.

• Alternative Investment Options: Higher yield options include the UOB Stash account, bond funds like the United SGD Fund, and selected high-quality Singapore REITs.

Lifestyle Updates : Online tool helps S’poreans see if their health coverage meets needs, financial ability

Source : 

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/online-tool-to-help-sporeans-navigate-health-insurance-landscape

Apple Intelligence : 

• Tool Functionality: The Health Insurance Planner helps Singaporeans understand their long-term MediSave savings and health insurance premiums, compare Integrated Shield Plans, and project premiums for riders.

• Tool Accessibility: The Health Insurance Planner is available on the CPF website.

• Tool Purpose: The planner aims to help users assess the suitability of their current insurance plans.

• Purpose of the Planner: To help Singaporeans visualize and compare premiums for MediShield Life, IPs, and riders, and their impact on MediSave and CPF savings.

• How to Use the Planner: Users input details like IP and rider names, and years left to pay for CareShield Life and ElderShield supplements.

• Data Refresh: MOH and CPFB will refresh premium and benefit data annually in January.

Investing Updates : Best Cash Management Accounts in Singapore (Mar 2025)

Source : 

https://drwealth.com/best-cash-management-accounts-in-singapore/

Apple Intelligence : 

• Cash Management Accounts (CMAs): Offer a balance between yield and liquidity for parking cash.

• Interest Rate Environment: Lower interest rates compared to the peak in 2024, impacting yields on fixed income products.

• CMA Importance: Highlighted by the Chocolate Finance incident, emphasizing the need to understand CMA structure, risks, and mechanics.

• Account Type: A hybrid financial account combining features of savings, checking, and investment accounts.

• Key Features: Higher interest rates, liquidity, and often linked to investment funds.

• Risk and Protection: Typically lower risk due to investment in low-risk instruments, but often not SDIC-insured.

• Account Type: Cash Management Accounts (CMAs) in Singapore.

• Purpose: Keep cash working and accessible, offering yields while allowing flexibility.

• Yield Information: SGD yields fluctuate on a 7-day basis; the table provides projected annual yields as of March 24, 2025.

• Endowus Cash Smart: Enhanced: 3.1% to 3.4% p.a. return, 50% UOB United SGD Fund, 30% LionGlobal SGD Enhanced Liquidity, 20% Fullerton SGD Cash Fund.

• StashAway Simple Plus: 3.6% p.a. return, 20% LionGlobal SGD Enhanced Liquidity Fund, 20% Nikko AM Shenton Short Term Bond Fund, 60% LionGlobal Short Duration Bond Fund.

• StashAway Simple Guaranteed: 2.7% p.a. (1 month), 2.65% p.a. (3 months), 2.6% p.a. (6 months), 2.5% p.a. (12 months) return, Fixed Deposits in Singapore Banks.

• Highest Interest Rate: Mari Invest SavePlus offers the highest interest rate at 3.26%.

• Platform with Highest Interest Rate Options: Syfe offers the most options with interest rates ranging from 2.3% to 3.2% p.a.

• Platform with Lowest Interest Rate Options: POEMS offers the lowest interest rate at 2.4404%.

• Endowus Cash Management Accounts: Offers three accounts: Ultra, Enhanced, and Core.

• Ultra Account: Highest yield (3.5% - 3.8% p.a.) with exposure to short-duration bond funds, suitable for those comfortable with higher volatility.

• Enhanced Account: Lower risk with higher yield (3.2% - 3.5% p.a.) compared to Ultra, using a mix of SGD funds.

• Endowus Secure Account: Offers good yields with maximal capital preservation, investing in Fullerton SGD Cash Fund and LionGlobal SGD Enhanced Liquidity.

• StashAway Simple Plus: Provides a 3.6% yield after fees, investing in LionGlobal SGD Enhanced Liquidity Fund, Nikko AM Shenton Short Term Bond Fund, and LionGlobal Short Duration Bond Fund.

• Investment Options: Both Endowus and StashAway allow users to invest using cash or SRS funds.

• StashAway Simple Plus: Offers higher potential yield but comes with higher volatility, suitable for at least 12-month investment.

• StashAway Simple: Provides a stable yield of 3.3% p.a. after fees, suitable for cash or SRS funds.

• StashAway Simple Guaranteed: Offers the lowest risk with guaranteed rates but functions like a fixed deposit with limited liquidity.

• Mari Invest SavePlus: Offers a projected return of 3.26% p.a. with no transaction fees or minimum deposit, investing mainly in MAS Bills and high-quality bond funds.

• Syfe Cash+ Flexi: Provides a projected return of 3.1% – 3.2% p.a. through a mix of LionGlobal SGD Money Market Fund and LionGlobal SGD Enhanced Liquidity Fund.

• StashAway Cash Management Account: Allows users to grow their SRS funds with no minimum deposit requirement.

• Syfe Cash Management Account: Offers SGD and USD options with projected returns of 0.05% – 0.15% p.a. and 4.3% – 4.4% respectively, but USD account carries foreign exchange risk.

• Syfe Cash+ Guaranteed: Provides fixed deposit options with guaranteed rates ranging from 2.3% to 2.75% p.a., but requires a lock-in period.

• Phillip SMART Park: Allows POEMS clients to park excess funds in the Phillip Money Market Fund, offering a projected return of 2.4404% p.a. through a portfolio of high-quality debt instruments.

• SMART Park Account Fee: 0.49% per annum fee for the underlying money market fund, but no withdrawal or maintenance fees.

• Moomoo Cash Plus Yield: Indicative 7-day annualized yield of 2.63% p.a. for SGD and USD.

• iFast Auto-Sweep Composition: 10% cash and 90% iFAST SGD Enhanced Liquidity fund.

• Tiger Vault Yield: Offers a yield of ~2.5% on idle money.

• Fund Options: Allows users to park cash in various funds like Fullerton SGD Cash Fund, United SGD Money Market, LionGlobal SGD Money Market, and LionGlobal SGD Enhanced Liquidity.

• Redemption Process: Requires 1 working day for processing and an additional 1-3 business days for cash withdrawal.

• Qualifying Period: From now until June 30, 2025, or until S$1 billion in assets under management is reached.

• Fee Structure: No fees until the target return is achieved, after which a performance-based fee of 0-2% applies.

• Withdrawal Processing Time: Instant withdrawals are paused; withdrawals will take 3-6 business days.

LifeStyle Updates : Economy rice stalls at Koufu food courts to have price labels for all dishes

Source : 

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/koufu-food-court-economy-rice-caifan-price-labels-dishes-5020061

Apple Intelligence : 

• Price Transparency Initiative: Economy rice stalls at Koufu food courts will display price labels for all dishes.

• Labeling System: Price labels will be color-coded to categorize dish types (meat, seafood, vegetables, premium) and individual prices.

• Implementation Timeline: The initiative will be implemented across all Koufu economy rice stalls by the end of 2025.

• Initiative Goal: To promote fair and clear pricing for economy rice in Singapore.

• Initiative Details: Koufu and CASE are partnering to implement color-coded labels for economy rice dishes, allowing consumers to make informed choices and prevent price disputes.

• Initiative Benefit: Benefits both customers and stall operators by making pricing and choices clearer.

Investing Updates : Lululemon, Dollar Tree, Inflation, Home Prices, and More to Watch This Week

Source : 

https://ttm.financial/news/2521020020?lang=en_US&edition=fundamental

Apple Intelligence : 

• Key Economic Indicator: February’s core personal consumption expenditures price index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, is expected to rise by 2.7% year over year.

• Earnings Reports: GameStop, Dollar Tree, and Lululemon Athletica will release their earnings reports.

• Other Economic Releases: S&P Global’s purchasing managers’ indexes for March, a consumer sentiment survey from the Conference Board, and the durable goods report from the Census Bureau will be released.

• Economic Indicators: The Census Bureau will release new residential sales data and the durable goods report. The Conference Board will release the Consumer Confidence Index.

• Earnings Reports: Chewy, Cintas, Dollar Tree, Jefferies Financial Group, Paychex, and Lululemon will announce quarterly results.

• GDP and Inflation: The Bureau of Economic Analysis will release the final estimate of fourth-quarter GDP growth and the personal consumption expenditures price index.

LifeStyle Updates : McDonald’s Launching Minecraft Movie Meals, Blind Box Collectibles & Cotton Candy Desserts from Mar 27

Source : 

https://www.greatdeals.com.sg/2025/03/21/mcdonalds-minecraft-movie-meals-blind-box-collectibles

Apple Intelligence : 

• Minecraft Movie Promotion: McDonald’s Singapore is launching a limited-time campaign to promote the Minecraft Movie.

• Collectible Offerings: The campaign includes six limited-edition blind box collectibles featuring McDonaldland characters in Minecraft style.

• Food Items: The promotion features a special meal lineup and Cotton Candy desserts.

• Minecraft Movie Meal: 12 meal options, including McSpicy, Chicken McNuggets, and cheeseburgers, with Smoky BBQ McShaker™ Fries, Coca-Cola® Zero Sugar, and a collectible.

• New Desserts: Three new Cotton Candy desserts: Cotton Candy Cone, Cotton Candy Hot Fudge Sundae, and Cotton Candy OREO® McFlurry®.

• Minecraft Happy Meal Toys: 10 unique designs launching between March 27 and April 30, with two new designs released each week.

• Minecraft Movie Meal Promotion: McDonald’s is collaborating with Minecraft to launch a movie meal promotion.

• Marketing Campaign: Video commercials showcasing the meal experience and collectibles have been released on YouTube.

• Ordering Options: The meal, collectibles, and desserts will be available for dine-in, takeaway, Drive-Thru, and delivery.

LifeStyle Updates : Singapore slips in world happiness ranking, gets knocked off top spot in Asia

Source : 

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/world-happiness-report-ranking-2024-asia-5014671

Apple Intelligence : 

• Singapore’s Happiness Ranking: Singapore dropped four places to 34th in the World Happiness Report 2024, its lowest ranking since 2012.

• Factors Contributing to Happiness: The report considers social support, GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and perception of corruption.

• Top-Ranked Countries: Nordic countries, led by Finland for the eighth consecutive year, dominated the top spots.

• Top Ranked Countries: Nordic countries dominated the top spots, with Finland in first place for the eighth consecutive year.

• Southeast Asian Rankings: Thailand (49th), Philippines (57th), Malaysia (64th), and Indonesia (83rd) were among the Southeast Asian nations.

• Factors Contributing to Happiness: Sharing meals, trusting others, and benevolent acts are linked to well-being, while family bonds and social support also play a role.

• Global Youth Social Disconnection: 19% of youths globally reported lacking social support in 2023, a 39% increase from 2006.

• Singapore’s Happiness Ranking: Singapore ranked low in perceived social support and freedom, impacting its overall happiness ranking.

• Impact of Social Connections on Happiness: Strong social connections are crucial for happiness, especially for youths, as they influence mental well-being and reduce susceptibility to mental health issues.

• Non-economic Factors for Improvement: Work-life balance and community support.

• Kindness and Happiness Correlation: Pro-social behaviors like donating, volunteering, and helping others improve mental health, reduce anxiety, and increase life satisfaction.

• Positive Impact of Pro-social Acts: Contributes to one’s own satisfaction and happiness.

Investing Updates : S-REITs Dominate in Market Surge: Must-Watch Picks

Source : 

https://www.moomoo.com/community/feed/s-reit-s-dominate-in-market-surge-must-watch-picks-114192273375238

Apple Intelligence :

• Market Performance: S-REITs outperformed the broader market (STI) with a 5.2% rebound in the past five sessions.

• Investor Sentiment: S-REITs attracted S$50 million net institutional inflow, driven by factors like attractive dividend yields compared to bond yields.

• Interest Rate Impact: Lower interest rates can benefit REITs by reducing financing costs, increasing capital inflows, and pushing up property valuations.

• Economic Impact: Improved regional economic activity, tourism, and potential interest rate cuts could benefit S-REITs.

• Analyst Predictions: Analysts from BMI Research, JPMorgan Chase, Nomura Securities, and DBS Bank are optimistic about the prospects of S-REITs.

• Performance Expectation: S-REIT share prices are expected to rise, potentially surpassing their peak in September 2023.

• Recommended REITs: DBS Group Research recommends CapLand IntCom T, Frasers Cpt Tr, Keppel Reit, Mapletree Ind Tr, Mapletree Log Tr, and ParkwayLife Reit.

• Valuation Attractiveness: Current REIT valuation is attractive with a price-to-book ratio (P/B) of 0.83 times, historically leading to significant returns in the following year.

• China Galaxy Securities International Recommendations: CapLand Ascendas REIT, Keppel DC Reit, CapLand IntCom T, and Frasers Cpt Tr.