Economy & business

5,376 debates and bills about economy & business

5 Aug 2026

Fostering Greater Risk Tolerance and Strengthening Singapore's Early-stage Venture Ecosystem

Singapore aims to foster a vibrant startup ecosystem, ranked fourth globally with 4,500 startups.
Government provides mentorship, co-investment via Startup SG, and crowds private capital.
Recent measures include $1B SSGE top-up, $1.5B Anchor Fund, and expanded global access.

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5 Aug 2026

Impact of Russia's Temporary Diesel Ban on Singapore's Energy Sufficiency and Cost of Living

Russia's diesel ban won't affect Singapore's energy sufficiency; natural gas powers generation, diesel reserves suffice.
But it tightens global diesel supply, raising wholesale prices 33%, adding inflationary pressure on imports.
Government gave U-Save rebates and CDC vouchers to help households coping with rising costs.

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5 Aug 2026

Broader Impact of Projects Supported by Enterprise Development Grant Beyond Revenue and Value-add

EDG tracks broader impacts like cost savings, averaging S$200,000 annual reduction per firm in 2025.
No improvement may stem from market volatility, weak demand, or longer innovation gestation periods.
Overall, EDG recipients, especially SMEs, saw gains; government will review enterprise schemes.

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5 Aug 2026

Adequacy of Existing Disability-related Tax Reliefs

Tax reliefs are part of broader disability support, not assessed alone.
Support includes enhanced long-term care subsidies and disability grants in 2025.
Government taskforce reviewing holistic support, recommendations due later this year.

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5 Aug 2026

Drop in GIC's Annualised Rolling 20-year Real Rate of Return for Year Ended 31 March 2026

GIC's 20-year real return fell to 3.4% from 3.8% last year.
Decline reflects cautious investing amid market volatility and uncertainty.
Firm prioritized resilience, diversification, and downside protection over higher returns.

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5 Aug 2026

Enforcement Against Beauty and Wellness Businesses under Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act for Pressure Selling or Unfair Practices

CCS took action against 15 beauty/wellness firms since 2022 for unfair practices.
13 gave undertakings; 2 faced injunctions for egregious conduct.
Government reviewing enforcement framework to ensure sufficient deterrence.

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5 Aug 2026

Impact of Increases in Electricity Costs on Prices of Goods and Services in Singapore

Electricity tariff hikes contributed 0.02 percentage-point to Q2 inflation; impact likely to rise.
Indirect passthrough to consumer prices is difficult to assess due to other cost increases.
Government expanded grants, gave SME cash, U-Save rebates and CDC vouchers; will monitor.

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5 Aug 2026

Impact of Middle East Conflict on Singapore's Trade, Investments and Cooperation Initiatives with Regional Countries

Singapore firms face Middle East uncertainty, using buffers, diversifying suppliers, delaying some investments.
Government maintains momentum: Saudi investment treaty, UAE collaboration, energy resilience talks continue.
New infrastructure/logistics opportunities emerge, supported by overseas centres and plurilateral trade initiatives.

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5 Aug 2026

Near-term Risks Posed By Autonomous AI Agents Operating in Financial Services

MAS uses a principles-based approach for AI, not mandatory rules.
New guidelines will cover all AI, including agentic AI, and be finalised soon.
Industry frameworks like SAFR and MindForge support implementation; MAS will review expectations as needed.

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5 Aug 2026

Assessing Impact of New 12.5% Tariff Imposed by the US and Measures to Help Affected Exporters

US imposed 12.5% tariff affecting S$9.5 billion of Singapore exports, raising effective tariff by 0.7 point.
Singapore engaged US, disputing forced labour links, but wary of import bans due to trade hub costs.
Government aids exporters via BizAdapt grants, enhanced market readiness support, SME cash grants, and worker programmes.

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5 Aug 2026

Service-level Indicators for Air Cargo Handling at Changi

CAAS tracks cargo service indicators and coordinates improvements with stakeholders.
New facilities and digital booking cut processing time and truck waiting significantly.
SATS invests $100 million to raise cargo handling capacity to 3 million tonnes.

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5 Aug 2026

Funding Allocation for Student Mental Health and Well-being Programmes

MOE allocates mental health funding through manpower and operating grants, not separate budgets.
No per-student quantum is tracked, as support is woven into daily school life.
Student well-being is a whole-of-Government effort extending beyond MOE’s budget.

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5 Aug 2026

Supporting Freelance Arts and Creative Practitioners in Retirement Planning and Financial Resilience

Government supports arts freelancers via CPF schemes like CAYE for MediSave contributions.
National Arts Council offers Arts Resource Hub for financial wellness and career guidance.
Arts freelancers encouraged to make extra CPF contributions for retirement resilience.

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5 Aug 2026

Requiring Businesses to have Physical Instead of Virtual Offices when Opening Corporate Banking Accounts

MAS received no feedback that banks mandate physical offices for corporate accounts.
Virtual or residential address users can open accounts with additional documents.
Bank checks are risk-based, not a blanket commercial office requirement.

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5 Aug 2026

Assessment of Existing Safeguards and Enforcement Against Money Laundering and Proliferation Financing Risks

Singapore regulates virtual asset providers via MAS licensing, with stringent criteria and close supervision.
Only 37 of nearly 300 licence applications were approved; others rejected or withdrawn.
FATF recognised Singapore's strong AML/CFT framework and MAS effectiveness in regulating digital payment token providers.

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5 Aug 2026

An Economy of the Future that Works for All

Government and opposition agree on inclusive growth but differ on economic model: both MNCs and local SMEs are complementary, not zero-sum.
WP sought rebalancing toward local firms, domestic demand, and worker protections; Government stressed external markets and global enterprises.
Amended motion passed, endorsing ESR; WP dissented on wording changes.

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5 Aug 2026

An Economy of the Future that Works for All

WP motion: fairer economy via local firms, domestic demand, land pricing reform, and worker protections.
Government-side MPs stressed both global and local enterprises and external demand, aligned with the ESR.
Worker protections debated: mandatory retrenchment benefits, redundancy insurance, skills training, and fair-start apprenticeships for youth.

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5 Aug 2026

Effectiveness of COSMIC as Platform for Financial Institutions to Share Information on Customers Showing Money Laundering Red Flags

Since April 2024, COSMIC banks filed STRs over $1.6b and closed 1,000+ suspicious accounts.
MAS expands COSMIC to more banks and crime risks in two years, balancing confidentiality.
Effectiveness affirmed by FATF; no commitment on mandatory participation.

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5 Aug 2026

Remedial Actions to Address Erroneous Disbursements of SkillsFuture Singapore Grants as Identified in FY2025/2026 Auditor-General's Report

SkillsFuture grant system errors fixed; past disbursements honored, no impact on recipients.
SWDA investigating training providers for fraud and may recover grants if breaches found.

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5 Aug 2026

Deposits Collected under Beverage Container Return Scheme From Beverage Producers and Retailers

BCRS early results strong: 5.5 million containers returned via 1,070 RVMs; over 90% of HDB residents nearby.
Unredeemed deposits cover scheme costs; BCRS Ltd, not-for-profit, must report finances annually to NEA.
Consumer pricing stays competitive; Return Right F&B scheme lets eateries take back containers, reducing cost passed on.

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