CDP
| Security | # shares | Price S$ | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| DBS | 440 | 62.84 | 3.39 |
| UOB | 400 | 37.60 | 1.85 |
| OCBC Bank | 700 | 23.40 | 2.01 |
| SGX | 3,200 | 21.88 | 8.60 |
| ST Engineering | 6,900 | 11.38 | 9.64 |
| Powermatic Data | 13,800 | 3.59 | 6.08 |
| Micro-Mechanics | 18,400 | 3.19 | 7.21 |
| Sheng Siong | 19,100 | 3.05 | 7.15 |
| UMS | 39,000 | 2.80 | 13.41 |
| TheHourGlass | 19,600 | 2.57 | 6.18 |
| VICOM Ltd | 21,500 | 1.77 | 4.67 |
| Nanofilm | 36,100 | 1.38 | 6.12 |
| Credit Bureau Asia | 34,200 | 1.13 | 4.74 |
| Riverstone | 40,500 | 0.93 | 4.62 |
| Info-Tech | 41,400 | 0.92 | 4.68 |
| HRnetGroup | 21,900 | 0.75 | 2.02 |
| China Sunsine | 41,800 | 0.67 | 3.44 |
| Kimly | 27,000 | 0.405 | 1.34 |
| HC Surgical | 35,500 | 0.38 | 1.66 |
| Audience Analytics | 38,900 | 0.25 | 1.19 |
YTD Dividends Received = S$10,748
YTD SBL Fees Received = S$1,352
Trades
None
SRS
| Security | # shares | Price S$ | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro-Mechanics | 5,400 | 3.19 | 10.26 |
| TheHourGlass | 5,000 | 2.57 | 7.66 |
| Nanofilm | 12,500 | 1.38 | 10.28 |
| NetLink NBN Trust | 108,000 | 0.995 | 64.03 |
| HRnetGroup | 7,500 | 0.75 | 3.35 |
| HC Surgical | 19,500 | 0.38 | 4.42 |
Trades
None
Singapore Savings Bonds
| Security | Amount | Coupon Now |
|---|---|---|
| GX22120S | S$14,000 | 3.58% |
| GX23010Z | S$15,000 | 3.25% |
| GX23110V | S$20,000 | 3.21% |
| GX23120Z | S$20,000 | 3.30% |
| GX24060A | S$20,000 | 3.26% |
| GX24070S | S$20,000 | 3.26% |
| GX24080W | S$20,000 | 3.19% |
YTD Coupons Received = S$1,187
Speculative Play
| Security | # shares | Price US$ |
|---|---|---|
| KORE US REIT | 70,000 | 0.186 |
YTD Dividends Received = S$223
Trades
None
Commentary:
Sell in May and go away,
come back on St. Leger's Day.
Did you follow the adage and sold your holdings in May?
I did not. Haha.
The saying came about because market returns tend to be weaker in the months between May and October, so one is better off taking profit than leaving it on the table. However, I do not believe in such heuristics. There is no guarantee that prices will be lower at the end of the year, and one will miss out on upcoming dividend payout. It is a gamble, basically.
I like my portfolio nicely intact, thank you.
Despite the stalemate in negotiation between the U.S. and Iran, investors continued to pour money into the markets. The broad S&P 500 Index gained 5.1 percent in May 2026. The tech-heavy NASDAQ 100 Index soared 10.5 percent MoM. The Straits Times Index however, only managed to clock a 2.5 percent gain MoM. The iEdge SGX Next 50 Index fared no better, closing flat for the month.
Individual stock performance tells a different story. Perhaps the S$6.5 billion Equity Market Development Programme has finally aroused interest in the big boys (and girls) within the asset management space. Semiconductor plays like ASTI Holdings, AEM Holdings and UMS Integration are seeing increased activity, riding on a favourable AI tailwind. Their shares closed up a whopping 83 percent, 41 percent and 28 percent respectively in May 2026.
As stocks prices remained elevated on the local bourse, I stayed on the sidelines and did not trade. No reason for FOMO here. There will be better opportunities to deploy my firepower.
Speaking of firepower, allow me to re-iterate one of my beliefs about investing: picking the right stock or fund is important, but not that critical as having the CAPITAL to construct your portfolio. The harsh reality is that investing peanuts will only provide miniscule return in dollars and cents. To make serious f***-you money (pardon the crudeness), you need a large base for good effect. Compounding may be the eighth wonder, but it only becomes significant after a tipping point (some say the first $100,000). The earlier you reach that tipping point, the better. So instead of spending time to find the right investment strategy, you are better off finding the right strategy to cut your spending and save up more money. You will be surprised by how many things you can live without. Channel the extra dollars into your investment. They are precious soldiers in building your fortress (read: portfolio) to tackle the financial onslaught of retirement.
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| Image Credit: Google Gemini |
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| Image Credit: Jay Vas |
At work, I went on a business trip to Hong Kong. It was a good opportunity to catch up on things with my APAC colleagues in person. I recall an interesting conversation over lunch with a Malaysian-born colleague working in our office at Central. He lamented how expensive life is in Hong Kong. My colleague cited this example: his baby was borne a month ago, and he had hired a confinement nanny to take care of both mother and child. The cost amounted to *gasp* one full month of our salary! Even after adjusting for standard of living, I will say the nanny is NOT CHEAP at all. Such is the predicament of working in Hong Kong. My colleague was also envious that I had paid off my mortgage. He is currently renting a small apartment on Hong Kong Island for around 20,000 HKD a month. It is a convenient place, since he only needs to take a 20-minute bus ride to the office. But to own a property at the same location requires a huge upfront payment and a long mortgage tenure. For most people, this feat can only remain a dream.
Caveat: I am not saying my colleague is poor though. He already owns a landed property in Malaysia, fully furnished. It is just that working as an expat in Hong Kong has its downside too.
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| The main course while en route via SIA to Hong Kong. The prawns were fresh and succulent. Good job, SATS. |
Family-wise, my younger son and I visited National Junior College, Catholic High School (CHS) and Hwa Chong Institution on consecutive weekends. My son particularly liked CHS. Unfortunately, the school does not offer Robotics explicitly as a DSA domain. We discussed whether to apply under Science domain or Leadership domain, as my son is also a Peer Support Leader in his current school. In the end, he applied to CHS under Leadership domain, as he felt there is a higher chance to secure an interview, given the self-initiated, organised and completed Mental Wellness projects he had done in his school. Fingers crossed for a good outcome.
On a side note, I am looking forward to receiving the new tranche of CDC Vouchers in June. Always happy to get some money back, after the taxman thanked me in April for my contribution to nation-building.
Until next time. Take care, my friends!
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