Singapore

• The ASIFMA 2026 Asia-Pacific Capital Markets Survey has identified the top eight markets in the APAC region for ease of doing business. • Leading jurisdictions include Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, India, Taiwan, China Mainland, and South Korea. • The survey highlights 11 key product and service lines targeted for expansion, led by Equities, Fixed Income, FX, Asset Management, and ESG & Sustainability.

• A Bitdefender report reveals that over 50% of surveyed organizations in Singapore lack full visibility into how their employees are utilizing AI tools. • This lack of oversight has increased corporate concerns regarding "shadow AI," where staff use unauthorized tools that could lead to critical data leaks and security breaches. • The findings highlight a significant security gap for CISOs and decision-makers as AI adoption outpaces the implementation of governance frameworks.

• China, South Korea, and Singapore have emerged as the leading Asia-Pacific nations in a global electric vehicle (EV) ranking index. • The index, which evaluates 25 countries, is heavily dominated by European nations, with France, the Netherlands, and Sweden occupying the fourth, fifth, and sixth spots respectively. • Other top-ten performers include Finland in eighth, the UK in ninth, and Germany in tenth, highlighting Europe's current lead in EV adoption.

• DBS has completed a US$1 billion significant risk transfer (SRT) deal, marking the first time a Singaporean bank has executed such a transaction. • The deal provides investors with exposure to a corporate loan portfolio while allowing DBS to free up critical regulatory capital. • This strategic move is significant as it optimizes the bank's balance sheet and enhances its ability to manage risk and deploy capital more efficiently.

• The Straits Times Index (STI) closed 0.3% higher, with DFI Retail Group leading the gains among Singapore's blue-chip stocks. • Market activity was positive overall, as 365 gainers outperformed 211 losers, with 1.3 billion securities traded for a total value of S$1.5 billion. • Regional performance was mixed, featuring gains in Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (1.6%) and Japan's Nikkei 225 (0.2%), while South Korea and Malaysia saw slight declines.

• A heartfelt Chinese film by director Lan Hongchun, the final part of a Teochew-dialect family trilogy, unexpectedly triggered intense political and cultural debates in Singapore. • Han Yong May, deputy editor-in-chief of SPH’s Chinese Media Group, analyzes how the film became a catalyst for a cognitive warfare campaign. • The situation is significant because it highlights vulnerabilities in Singapore's multiracial identity and how cultural media can be weaponized for political influence.

• Singapore's IMDA and MDDI have approved 50 additional screenings of the film *Dear You* in the Teochew dialect to celebrate the language as a valued part of the nation's cultural heritage. • The screenings will run from July 3 to 26 at Golden Village outlets in Vivocity, Yishun, Bishan, Tampines, and Jurong Point, with tickets available starting June 29. • Directed by Lan Hongchun, the film explores two timelines: a grandson's search for his grandfather in present-day Thailand and a man's migration from China to Southeast Asia in the 1940s.

• NTU linguistics professor Luke Lu argues that Singapore should rethink its long-standing ban on dialects in public media. • The proposal suggests that localized forms of Hokkien and Teochew, which are unique products of regional multiculturalism, should no longer require special approval for broadcast. • This shift is not intended to introduce dialects into the formal education system or actively promote them, but rather to remove restrictive barriers.

• Singapore’s main opposition Workers’ Party has voted to retain Pritam Singh as secretary-general despite his recent legal convictions. • The decision follows a special vote among party cadres after Singh was found guilty of lying to a parliamentary committee. • This move signals the party's continued trust in Singh's leadership and its defiance against legal challenges aimed at its top official.

• Singapore faced Thailand in the final of the Asia Pacific Cricket Champions Trophy 2026. • Thailand was bowled out for 73 runs, with Manpreet Singh scoring 23 off 16 balls and Raheel Thakkar contributing 13 off 18. • Singapore reached 76/4 after 12 overs, successfully chasing the target to secure the championship title.