Top 10 Singapore large-cap stocks to watch in 2026
Singapore's largest publicly traded companies represent compelling opportunities for both traders and investors seeking exposure to established market leaders across diverse sectors. This comprehensive guide examines Singapore’s ten largest stocks by market capitalisation, providing insights into their business and stock fundamentals.
Important to know
This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute any form of investment advice. Please ensure that you understand the risks and consider your specific investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs before making a commitment to trade.
Key takeaways
- Singapore large-cap stocks offer CFD exposure to established companies with market capitalisations typically exceeding S$10 billion¹.
- CFD trading allows trading price movements without share ownership, with leverage amplifying both potential profits and losses.
IG Singapore also offers commission-free Singapore large-cap stock investing options via its newly launched IG Markets app.
What are Singapore large-cap stocks?
Singapore large-cap stocks refer to publicly listed companies on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) with market capitalisations typically exceeding S$10 billion. These firms are often regional powerhouses with diversified operations across Asia and beyond, spanning sectors such as banking, telecommunications, real estate, and consumer goods.
The most prominent representation of these stocks is found in Straits Times Index (STI), Singapore’s benchmark equity index. The STI tracks the performance of the top 30 companies listed on SGX by market capitalisation and liquidity.2 They include household names like DBS Group Holdings, Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel), and Keppel Corporation.
Trading vs investing in Singapore large-cap stocks
CFD trading with IG Singapore
For those seeking short-term exposure or tactical positioning, CFDs offer a flexible way to speculate on price movements without owning the underlying shares. IG Singapore’s CFD platform allows users to:
- Trade with leverage, amplifying both gains and losses
- Short sell, profiting from downward price movements
- Avoid direct ownership, meaning no voting rights or shareholder privileges
- Receive dividend adjustments, though not actual dividends
- Hold positions overnight, incurring financing costs in the process
CFD trading is typically suited for active traders who prioritise liquidity and directional bets over long-term capital appreciation.
Direct share investing via IG Markets app
For long-term investors, direct ownership of Singapore large-cap stocks provides exposure to dividend income, capital growth, and corporate governance participation. IG Singapore recently launched the IG Markets investing app, designed to simplify access to Singapore equities for retail investors. The app supports:
- Fractional share investing, lowering entry barriers
- Portfolio tracking and research tools
- Access to STI constituents and other SGX-listed stocks
The IG Markets app complements IG’s trading suite by offering a regulated, user-friendly gateway for long-term investing, aligning with the growing demand for passive and strategic equity exposure in Singapore.
Top 10 Singapore large-cap stocks to watch
Company
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Latest share price*
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Share price change in 2025*
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Available for CFD trading with IG?
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Available for investing with IG Markets Singapore app?
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S$53.93
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+22.7%
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✔
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✔
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Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC)
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S$17.03
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+2.3%
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✔
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✔
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S$34.72
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-5.1%
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✔
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✔
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Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel)
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S$4.25
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+37.5%
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✔
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✔
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S$8.49
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+82.6%
|
✔
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✔
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S$6.63
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+3.0%
|
✔
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✔
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S$10.19
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+48.3%
|
✔
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✔
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S$0.73
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-5.2%
|
✔
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✔
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S$16.93
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+35.3%
|
✔
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✔
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S$3.13
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+1.6%
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✔
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✔
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*As of 28 October 2025
DBS Group Holdings (SGX: D05)
Sector: Banking and financial services
About the company: DBS Group is Singapore’s largest bank by assets, offering consumer, corporate, and wealth management services across Asia, with strong digital banking capabilities and regional exposure.
Latest earnings (Q2 2025):
- Net profit: S$2.82 billion (+1% YoY)
- Return on equity: 17.0%
- CET1 ratio: 14.6%
CFD trading considerations: Interest rate cycles and regional macroeconomic trends. Traders often pay close attention to the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s (MAS) rate decisions, Fed policy, and regional credit growth.
Investing considerations: Consistent dividends and strong capital buffers. The IG Markets investing app enables fractional share access and long-term performance tracking, ideal for dividend-focused investors.
OCBC (SGX: O39)
Sector: Banking and financial services
About the company: OCBC is Singapore’s oldest bank, operating in 18 markets with strengths in consumer, SME, and wealth banking across the ASEAN and Greater China markets.
Latest earnings (Q2 2025):
- Net profit: S$1.82 billion (−7% YoY)
- Net interest margin: 1.98%
- CET1 ratio: 17.0%
CFD trading considerations: Regional credit demand, interest rate spreads, China-linked sentiment, MAS policy, and forex trends.
Investing considerations: Strong dividend track record and long-term plans to expand wealth management and digital banking across ASEAN and Greater China.
United Overseas Bank (SGX: U11)
Sector: Banking and financial services
About the company: UOB is a regional bank with over 500 branches in 19 countries, focused on ASEAN markets and expanding its cross-border and Renminbi (RMB) capabilities.
Latest earnings (Q2 2025):
- Net profit: S$1.34 billion (−6% YoY)
- Net interest margin: 2.02%
- CET1 ratio: 14.9%
CFD trading considerations: ASEAN credit growth, FX trends, regional interest rate spreads, MAS and Fed policy, as well as China-ASEAN trade flows.
Investing considerations: Expanding Chinese yuan business and regional footprint. Has a five-year dividend growth rate of 16%, one of the highest on this list.
Singapore Telecommunications (SGX: Z74)
Sector: Telecommunications
About the company: Singtel is Singapore’s largest telco, offering mobile, broadband, enterprise, and IT services across Asia-Pacific, including Australia and India.
Latest Earnings (Q1 FY2026):
- Net profit: S$2.88 billion (+317.4% YoY), boosted by one-off gains
- Underlying net profit: S$686 million (+16.7% YoY)
- Operating revenue: S$3.39 billion (−0.6% YoY)
CFD trading considerations: Telecom infrastructure spending, regional digital growth, and corporate restructuring activities.
Investing considerations: Stable dividend policy and focus on unlocking value through asset recycling and regional partnerships. Long-term plans include expanding enterprise services and digital infrastructure.
ST Engineering (SGX: S63)
Sector: Engineering and technology
About the company: ST Engineering is a global technology and engineering group serving aerospace, defence, electronics, and smart city sectors.
Latest earnings (H1 2025):
- Net profit: S$403 million (+20% YoY)
- Revenue: S$5.92 billion (+7%)
- Earnings per share: 12.93 Singapore cents (+20% YoY)
CFD trading considerations: Government contracts, defence budgets, aerospace cycles, satellite launches, R&D announcements, and smart city infrastructure demand.
Investing considerations: Consistent dividends and long-term expansion into autonomous systems, cybersecurity, and urban mobility. Specific areas include scaling smart city platforms and global defence exports.
Singapore Airlines (SGX: C6L)
Sector: Aviation
About the company: Singapore Airlines (SIA) is Singapore’s flagship carrier, operating a premium fleet across global routes with subsidiaries in budget and cargo aviation.
Latest earnings (Q1 FY2026):
- Group revenue: S$4.79 billion (+1.5%)
- Operating profit: S$405 million
- Net profit: S$186 million (−59% YoY)
CFD trading considerations: Fuel prices, travel demand, passenger load factors, jet fuel price hedging, regional travel advisories, and geopolitical risks.fuel prices.
Investing considerations: SIA’s premium brand, investment in fleet renewal, sustainable aviation fuel, and premium service upgrades. Other long-term plans include expanding codeshare networks and digital booking platforms.
Keppel Corporation (SGX: BN4)
Sector: Conglomerate
About the company: Keppel is a diversified group with businesses in infrastructure, real estate, asset management, and data centres across Asia-Pacific.
Latest earnings (H1 2025):
- Net profit: S$431 million (+25% YoY)
- Recurring income: S$444 million
- Return on equity: 15.4% (up from 13.2% a year ago)
CFD trading considerations: Infrastructure spending, property cycles, and asset monetisation news. Traders also monitor REIT performance, data centre deals, and ESG-linked developments.
Investing considerations: Keppel is transitioning to an asset-light model with recurring income from infrastructure and fund management. Other long-term plans include scaling renewables, data centres, and sustainable urban solutions.
Genting Singapore (SGX: G13)
Sector: Gaming and hospitality
About the company: Genting Singapore owns and operates Resorts World Sentosa, one of Singapore’s two integrated resorts, with casino, hotel, and entertainment assets.
Latest earnings (H1 2025):
- Group revenue: S$1.2 billion (-10% YoY)
- Net profit: S$234.7 million (−34% YoY)
CFD trading considerations: Regulatory changes, gaming revenue trends, visitor arrivals, China outbound travel, and RWS expansion updates.
Investing considerations: Genting is investing in Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) 2.0, including new attractions and hotel upgrades. Additionally, the group is planning to enhance non-gaming revenue and capture regional tourism recovery.
Singapore Exchange (SGX: S68)
Sector: Financial services
About the company: Singapore Exchange (SGX) is Singapore’s main securities and derivatives exchange, offering listing, trading, clearing, and settlement services across multiple asset classes.
Latest earnings (FY2025 full-year):
- Operating revenue: S$1.3 billion, up 11.7% YoY
- Net profit: S$648 million (+8.4% YoY)
- EPS: 60.6 Singapore cents (up from 57.0 Singapore cents)
CFD trading considerations: Trading volumes, volatility spikes, regional capital flows, product launches, IPO activity, and derivatives growth.
Investing considerations: SGX maintains a high payout ratio (of around 80%). The group has plans to expand its FX, commodities, and ESG-linked product offerings, as well as to improve regional connectivity and digital infrastructure.
Wilmar International (SGX: F34)
Sector: Agribusiness
About the company: Wilmar is a leading agribusiness group with integrated operations in palm oil, sugar, grains, and consumer products across Asia.
Latest earnings (Q3 2025):
- Net loss: US$347.7 million (due to court ruling)
- Core net profit: US$357.2 million (+71.6% YoY)
- Revenue: US$19.1 billion (+7.4% YoY)
CFD trading considerations: Palm oil benchmarks, commodity price cycles, FX exposure, regulatory rulings, geopolitical risks, and weather conditions.
Investing considerations: Wilmar’s integrated supply chain model and consumer brand portfolio. Strategic plans include expanding food processing, sustainable agriculture, and regional retail distribution.
Singapore large-cap stocks trading and investing strategies
Singapore large-cap stock CFD trading strategies
► Day trading strategy
Day trading involves opening and closing positions within the same trading day. This strategy is particularly suitable for volatile stocks.
Advantages: No overnight financing charges, reduced exposure to gap risk, ability to capitalise on intraday volatility.
Considerations: Requires significant time commitment, faster decision-making and strong emotional discipline.
► Swing trading strategy
Swing trading involves holding positions for several days to weeks, aiming to capture medium-term price movements.
Advantages: Less time-intensive than day trading, ability to capture larger price movements, suitable for traders with other commitments.
Considerations: Exposure to overnight financing charges, gap risk over weekends, requires patience and discipline.
► Event-driven trading
This strategy focuses on trading around specific events like earnings announcements, product launches or regulatory decisions.
Advantages: Clear catalysts for price movements, well-defined risk/reward scenarios, ability to plan trades in advance.
Considerations: High volatility around events, potential for gap movements, requires thorough fundamental research.
What are stock CFDs?
Singapore large-cap stock investing strategies
► Long-term growth investing
Focuses on buying and holding companies with strong fundamentals and long-term potential, such as DBS.
Advantages: Potential for compounding returns over time, lower transaction frequency and costs.
Considerations: Requires patience and tolerance for market cycles, may underperform during economic downturns, while long holding periods mean delayed access to capital.
► Sector rotation
Involves shifting investments between sectors based on macroeconomic cycles—for example, rotating from tech to utilities during downturns.
Advantages: Tactical exposure to outperforming sectors, can enhance returns during economic transitions, useful for managing cyclical risk.
Considerations: Requires active monitoring of macro trends, timing mistakes can lead to underperformance, while sector ETFs may dilute exposure to top-performing stocks.
► Thematic investing
Focuses on long-term trends like AI, clean energy, or autonomous vehicles.
Advantages: Aligns with future growth narratives, offers exposure to innovation and disruption, can be diversified across multiple companies via ETFs.
Considerations: Themes may take years to materialise, high volatility and valuation risk, and requires conviction and long-term horizon.
Risk management and trading considerations
► Understanding leverage risks
CFD trading with leverage magnifies both potential profits and losses. A small adverse price movement can result in significant losses that exceed your initial deposit.
► Market volatility factors
Singapore large-cap stocks can be influenced by:
- Regional economic conditions
- US-China trade relations
- Global interest rate changes
- Sector-specific developments
► Overnight financing costs
Positions held overnight incur financing charges based on the underlying interest rate and the size of your position.
How to trade and invest in SG large-cap stocks with IG Singapore
CFD share trading
- Create a live or demo account
- Find an opportunity among one of our 10,000+ stocks with our stock screener
- Click ‘buy’ to go long or ‘sell’ to short
- Set your position size
- Take steps to manage your risk
- Open and monitor your position
Investing
- Open an account via IG Markets Singapore app
- Search for Singapore large-cap stocks on the app
- Choose the shares you want to buy
- Determine how many shares you want to purchase
- Place your order
- Monitor your investment and collect any dividends
Singapore large-cap stocks FAQs
Are Singapore large-cap stock CFDs suitable for new traders?
Singapore large-cap stock CFDs can be suitable for new traders if they understand the risks and meet regulatory requirements—but they’re not beginner-friendly by default. MAS requires a Customer Knowledge Assessment (CKA) before access.
Can I receive dividends when trading CFDs on Singapore stocks?
No, CFD trading doesn't provide dividend payments as you don't own the underlying shares. However, dividend adjustments may be applied to your account for positions held over ex-dividend dates.
What is the minimum deposit required to start trading?
IG Singapore does not specify a minimum deposit requirement for opening an account, though certain trading activities may have minimum funding requirements.
Are there any restrictions on trading Singapore large-cap stocks?
Trading is subject to market hours and availability. Some stocks may have temporary trading restrictions during corporate actions or significant news events.
How volatile are Singapore large-cap stock CFDs?
Singapore large-cap stock CFDs are moderately volatile, with beta values typically between 0.4 and 0.7. Price swings are steadier than small caps, but leverage amplifies short-term moves, making risk management essential for traders.
What's the difference between CFD trading and stock investing?
CFD trading involves trading price movements without owning the underlying shares. You can use leverage and profit from both rising and falling markets. Stock investing involves purchasing actual shares, giving you ownership rights but requiring the full purchase price upfront.
Do I need a US brokerage account to invest in US stocks?
No. Platforms like IG Singapore’s IG Markets app let you invest in US stocks directly from Singapore.
Is Singapore-large stock investing suitable for beginners?
Yes, Singapore large-cap stock investing is generally suitable for beginners due to its stability, transparency, and dividend reliability. Blue-chip stocks like DBS, Singtel, and SGX offer lower volatility and consistent returns.
With fractional investing, zero commissions, and global brand exposure, platforms like IG Markets make US stock investing accessible to first-time investors in Singapore.
Am I entitled to receive dividends if I invest in Singapore large-cap stocks via IG Markets?
Yes, if you invest in Singapore large-cap stocks through IG Markets’ investing platform (not CFDs), you’re entitled to receive dividends. You’ll get the full dividend amount if you hold the shares by the ex-dividend date.
Are Singapore large-cap stock dividends taxed for Singapore investors?
No, dividends from Singapore large-cap stocks are not taxable for individual Singapore investors under the one-tier corporate tax system.
Footnotes:
1 Moomoo Singapore, "How to Buy Straits Times Index (STI) in Singapore 2025" - minimum market capitalisation of S$300 million for STI inclusion, https://www.moomoo.com/sg/learn/detail-straits-times-index-sti-in-singapore-93047-230116062
2 Singapore Exchange (SGX), "Straits Times Index (STI)" - tracks 30 most valuable Singapore companies, https://www.sgx.com/indices/products/sti
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Chapters
- What are Singapore large-cap stocks?
- Trading vs investing in Singapore large-cap stocks
- Top 10 Singapore large-cap stocks to watch
- Singapore large-cap stocks trading and investing strategies
- Risk management and trading considerations
- How to trade and invest in SG large-cap stocks with IG Singapore
- Singapore large-cap stocks FAQs
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