Top 5 US stocks to watch in 2026
Singapore-based investors and traders seeking exposure to US equities now have a range of options, from leveraged derivatives such as CFDs, to direct stock ownership via IG Singapore’s newly launched IG Markets app.
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
- IG offers CFD trading on over 10,000 international stocks, allowing traders to trade price movements without owning the underlying assets.
- Share CFDs enable Singapore traders to benefit from both rising and falling US stock markets through leveraged trading.
- IG Singapore also offers commission-free US stock and ETF investing options via its newly launched IG Markets mobile app.
What are US stock CFDs?
US stock CFDs (Contracts for Difference) are derivative instruments that allow traders to speculate on the price movements of American-listed companies—such as Apple, Tesla, or Amazon—without owning the underlying shares.
When trading CFDs through IG Singapore, clients enter into an agreement to exchange the difference between the opening and closing price of a stock, profiting from either upward or downward movements.
Key features of US stock CFD trading include:
Leverage and margin trading: CFDs are leveraged products. IG Singapore typically requires a 10% margin for US stock CFDs, enabling traders to control a larger position with less upfront capital.
Long and short positions: Traders can go long (buy) if they expect prices to rise or go short (sell) to profit from declines.
No share ownership: CFD holders do not own the actual shares, meaning no voting rights or direct dividend entitlements. However, dividend adjustments may be credited or debited to reflect corporate actions.
Why trade US stock CFDs in Singapore?
Singapore traders are increasingly drawn to US stock CFDs due to their flexibility and access:
Global market reach: IG Singapore offers access to over 10,000 share CFDs across major exchanges including the NYSE and NASDAQ.
Extended trading hours: IG provides 24/5 trading on 140 US stocks and additional out-of-hours access on 140+ others, allowing traders to respond to news and earnings releases beyond regular market hours.
Regulatory oversight: IG Singapore is licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), ensuring compliance and client protection under Singapore’s financial regulations.
Investing in US stocks with IG Markets app
For those focused on long-term wealth building rather than short-term speculation, IG Singapore now offers direct investing through its IG Markets app. This platform allows Singapore residents to buy and hold actual US shares and ETFs with zero commissions and no platform fees, starting from just S$1 for fractional shares.
Benefits of US stock investing via IG Markets include:
Ownership of shares: Investors gain voting rights and receive dividends directly from the companies they invest in.
Fractional investing: Enables diversification even with modest capital, ideal for retail investors.
Global access: The app supports investing in thousands of stocks and ETFs across US and international markets.
This dual-platform approach — CFD trading for active strategies and direct investing for long-term growth — positions IG Singapore as a versatile provider for retail investors navigating the US equity landscape.
Top 5 US stocks to watch in Singapore
Company
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52-week low share price*
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52-week high share price*
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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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US$169.21
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US$288.61
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US$86.62
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US$212.19
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US$344.79
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US$555.45
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US$161.43
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US$258.60
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US$140.53
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US$349.00
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*As of 13 February 2026
1. Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL)
Sub-sector: Consumer electronics and services
Market cap: US$3.76 trillion
Latest earnings: Apple reported Q1 FY2026 revenue of US$143.8 billion, up 16% year-on-year (YoY). Net income rose to US$42.1 billion, with earnings per share (EPS) of US$2.84, a 19% YoY increase. iPhone revenue hit US$55 billion (+12% YoY), while Services reached a record US$32.9 billion (+14% YoY).
Dividend and share buyback policy: Apple repurchased US$25 billion in shares during Q1 FY2026 and declared a quarterly dividend of US$0.26 per share.
AI and innovation strategy: Apple continued to integrate AI into iOS and Vision Pro, as evident with strong adoption in China (+38% regional sales).
Share price performance: As of 13 February 2026, Apple shares closed at US$255.92, up 6% in the last 12 months. The stock has been trading around a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 32.4 times and a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 42.6 times.
Analyst stock ratings and share price targets: Analysts have a ‘buy’ majority rating, alongside a 12-month average price target of US$297.50 (equating to an upside potential of 16.3%), based on FactSet Insights published on the IG Markets mobile app. Barclays has reiterated its ‘underweight’ rating on Apple stocks alongside a target price of US$239.
► IG client sentiment: 85% of IG clients have long positions on Apple shares, while the remaining 15% have short positions.
2. Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA)
Sub-sector: Semiconductors and AI infrastructure
Market cap: US$4.44 trillion
Latest earnings: Nvidia reported Q3 FY2026 revenue of US$57.0 billion, up 62% YoY. Data center revenue reached US$51.2 billion (+66% YoY), driven by strong demand for the Blackwell platform. Adjusted gross margin expanded to 73.6%.
Dividend and share buyback policy: Nvidia returned US$37 billion in the first nine months of FY2026 in the form of shares repurchased and cash dividends. The company still has over US$60 billion remaining under its share repurchase authorisation.
AI and innovation strategy: Nvidia continued to boost its focus on AI infrastructure, with Blackwell GPUs now powering hyperscaler data centers, robotics, and autonomous vehicles.
Share price performance: As of 13 February 2026, Nvidia shares closed at US$182.81, up 35.1% in the past 12 months. The stock trades at a P/E ratio of 45.3 times and a P/B ratio of 37.4 times.
Analyst stock ratings and share price targets: Nvidia shares were rated a ‘buy’ by 91% of analysts polled by FactSet. The stock also received a stock price target of US$260.25, equating to an upside potential of 42% over the next 12 months. UBS Group recently initiated a price target of US$245 on Nvidia stocks without a rating.
► IG client sentiment: 86% of IG clients hold long positions on Nvidia shares, with the remaining 14% going short. d.
3. Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT)
Sub-sector: Cloud computing and enterprise software
Market cap: US$2.98 trillion
Latest earnings: Microsoft reported Q2 FY2026 revenue of US$81.3 billion, up 15% YoY. Net income rose to US$31.2 billion, with unadjusted EPS of US$3.85 (+12% YoY) and adjusted EPS of US$4.27 (+21% YoY). Azure and other cloud services revenue grew 39% YoY, contributing to 26% growth in Microsoft Cloud overall.
Dividend and share buyback policy: Microsoft returned US$12.7 billion to shareholders via dividends and share buybacks in Q2 FY2026, an increase of 32% YoY.
AI and innovation strategy: Microsoft has been investing heavily in AI infrastructure, with Copilot adoption surpassing 15 million paid seats and gaming revenue up 42% YoY.
Share price performance: As of 13 February 2026, Microsoft shares closed at US$401.32, down 17% year-to-date (YTD). The stock has been trading around a P/E ratio of 25.1 times and a P/B ratio of around 7.6 times.
Analyst stock ratings and share price targets: Microsoft holds a ‘buy’ consensus from 39 out of 45 analysts who have issued ratings in the last 12 months, based on insights published by MarketBeat. The stock has an average stock price target of US$592, equating to a 47.5% potential upside in the next 12 months. Goldman Sachs has reiterated a ‘buy’ rating on Microsoft stocks without a price target.
► IG client sentiment: 92% of IG clients have long positions on Microsoft shares, with 8% holding short positions.
4. Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN)
Sub-sector: E-commerce, cloud computing, and AI services
Market cap: US$2.13 trillion
Latest earnings: Amazon saw Q4 FY2025 revenue grow by 14% YoY to US$213.4 billion. Net income rose 6% YoY to US$21.2 billion, with diluted EPS of US$1.95 a share (up from US$1.86 a year prior). Amazon Web Services (AWS) revenue grew 24% YoY to US$35.6 billion. Looking ahead, first quarter 2026 net sales are expected to grow between 11% and 15% YoY.
Dividend policy and free cash flow: Amazon does not pay dividends. Free cash flow (FCF) decreased to US$11.2 billion for the trailing twelve months ended 31 December 2025, driven primarily by a YoY increase of US$50.7 billion in purchases of property and equipment, net of proceeds from sales and incentives. This compares to an FCF of US$38.2 billion for the prior 12 months.
AI and innovation strategy: Amazon continued to expand AI integration across AWS, retail logistics, and Alexa. AWS launched new AI training services, and further developed Amazon as a leader in enterprise AI adoption.
Share price performance: As of 13 February 2026, Amazon shares closed at US$198.79, down 12.2% YTD. The stock has been trading around a P/E ratio of 27.7 times and a P/B ratio of 5.2 times.
Analyst stock ratings and share price targets: Analysts maintained a ‘buy’ consensus, with an average price target of US$280.90, implying a 41% upside potential in the next 12 months, based on FactSet data. Citigroup has lowered its Amazon stock price target to US$265 from US$320 while maintaining a ‘buy’ call.
► IG client sentiment: 85% of all Amazon positions are long, while 14% are short. 50% of all February 2026 trades (as of 15 February 2026) have been ‘buys’.
5. Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOGL)
Sub-sector: Internet services and cloud computing
Market cap: US$3.70 trillion
Latest earnings: Alphabet reported Q4 FY2025 revenue of US$113.8 billion, up 18% YoY. Net income rose 30% YoY to US$34.5 billion, with EPS up 31% YoY to US$2.82. Google Services revenue grew 14% YoY to US$95.9 billion, led by a 17% growth in Search and subscriptions, platforms, and devices. Alphabet ended FY2025 with over 325 million paid subscriptions across consumer services.
Dividend and share buyback policy: Alphabet’s Board declared a quarterly cash dividend of US$0.21 per share, payable on 16 March 2026. The company also repurchased US$5.5 billion in shares during Q4 FY2025.
AI and innovation strategy: Alphabet launched Gemini 3, which now processes over 10 billion tokens per minute via API and has reached 750 million monthly active users. Google Cloud ended 2025 at an annual run rate of US$70 billion, reflecting strong demand for AI products. CapEx for 2026 is projected at US$175 to US$185 billion to expand AI infrastructure.
Share price performance: As of 13 February 2026, Alphabet (GOOGL) shares closed at US$305.72, up 64% in the past 52 weeks. The stock has been trading around a P/E ratio of 28.3 times and a P/B ratio of 8.9 times.
Analyst stock ratings and share price targets: Alphabet shares received a rating of ‘buy’ from 86% of analysts polled by FactSet. The analysts also gave the stock a 12-month average price target of US$377, which equates to a 23% upside potential. Citigroup recently boosted its GOOGL stock price target to US$390 (from US$350), alongside a ‘buy’ call
► IG client sentiment: 91% of IG clients have long positions on Amazon shares, with 9% going short as of mid-February 2026.
US stocks trading and investing strategies
► US stock CFD trading strategies
1. Day trading strategy
Day trading involves opening and closing positions within the same trading day. This strategy is particularly suitable for volatile US stocks like Tesla and NVIDIA.
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.
2. 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.
3. 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?
► US stock investing strategies
1. Long-term growth investing
Focuses on buying and holding companies with strong fundamentals and long-term potential, such as Apple, Microsoft, or Alphabet.
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.
2. 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.
3. Thematic investing
Focuses on long-term trends like AI, clean energy, or autonomous vehicles, using stocks like Tesla, Nvidia, or thematic ETFs.
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.
How to trade and invest in US 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 US 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
US stocks trading and investing FAQs
Are US stock CFDs suitable for new Singapore traders?
US stock CFDs can be suitable for experienced traders who understand leverage and risk management. However, beginners should start with a demo account and thoroughly educate themselves about CFD trading risks before committing real capital. Remember that 71% of retail client accounts lose money when trading CFDs with IG.
How volatile are US stock CFDs?
US stock CFDs mirror the volatility of underlying US stocks, which can be influenced by company earnings, economic data, geopolitical events and market sentiment. Technology stocks like NVIDIA and Tesla typically exhibit higher volatility than established companies like Microsoft or Apple.
What's the minimum amount needed to start trading?
IG Singapore doesn't specify a minimum deposit requirement for opening an account. However, practical considerations around margin requirements and risk management suggest starting with sufficient capital to manage risk effectively across multiple trades.
What are the fees for trading US stock CFDs with IG Singapore?
IG Singapore charges commission-based fees for US stock CFDs rather than spread-based pricing. Specific commission rates vary by market and are detailed in IG's fee schedule. Additional costs may include overnight financing, currency conversion and guaranteed stop-loss fees.
Can I trade US stock CFDs outside regular market hours?
Yes, IG Singapore offers 140 US stocks 24/510 and 140+ US stocks out-of-hours.
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 US stock investing suitable for beginners?
Yes. With fractional investing, zero commissions, and global brand exposure, platforms like IG Markets make US stock investing accessible to first-time investors in Singapore.
Are US stock dividends taxed for Singapore investors?
Yes. US stock dividends are subject to a 30% withholding tax, even if you're a Singapore resident.
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