The STI just printed an all-time intraday high near 5,774 points, and I’m not popping champagne, because almost every name on my ledger is missing my income hurdle right now. This isn’t a business problem, it’s a math problem: share prices raced ahead of dividends, and the gap is exactly what I dig into on this episode. I walk through why the safest bond in Singapore now pays more than it used to, why that pushes my bar higher, and why a bank stock hitting a record price can still leave your CPF or SRS payout looking thin. If your portfolio feels flat despite the headlines, this explains exactly why.
Key takeaways:
STI hit an all-time intraday high of roughly 5,774 points on 11 August, about 550 points above the prior record.
The 10-year Singapore government bond now yields 2.36%, up from around 2 to 2.2% earlier this year, raising the bar for every dividend stock.
Iggy’s hurdle stays anchored to the CPF Special Account rate of 4%, not to market averages, so a stock has to beat the safest guaranteed deal in the country.
A well known bank hit a fresh share price high this month with profit growth reported for the year, but its yield sits well under the 4.7% hurdle after a special payout rolled off.
Rising prices without matching payout growth is a timing signal, not proof the business is failing.
Iggy’s Forensic Disclaimer
This content is produced for educational and informational purposes only. I am not a financial advisor — I am a retail investor who applies forensic analysis to my own portfolio and shares that process publicly. Nothing here constitutes a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security, and no specific target prices or personalised financial advice are offered. Stocks assessed under Iggy’s Forensic Yield Standard are benchmarked against a 4.7% minimum yield hurdle; stocks flagged as Growth Watch fall below this threshold but demonstrate clean balance sheet metrics and an identifiable growth catalyst — these carry a materially different risk profile and are not suitable as yield replacements for income-dependent investors. All data is sourced from public filings and verified sources; where data is unverified it is explicitly flagged. All investments carry risk, including the potential loss of principal, and past performance is not indicative of future results. If you are making investment decisions involving CPF, SRS, or personal capital, please conduct your own due diligence or consult a MAS-licensed financial adviser before committing funds.
