Singapore's stable, innovative economy and prudent governance make EWS a relatively safe investment with solid long-term upside, despite recent strong gains limiting near-term potential. EWS offers geographic diversification, low management fees, and a 3.83% dividend yield, but is concentrated in traditional sectors and lacks exposure to emerging tech. Singapore's population growth is driven by skilled immigration, supporting domestic demand and competitiveness, though demographic and political risks remain.
EWS has outperformed the S&P 500 recently, sparking interest in Singapore's innovative economy. Despite these recent gains, EWS's long-term returns are lackluster, with only 151% in total return over nearly 30 years. The ETF's seventeen holdings do not effectively capture Singapore's broad economic strength and innovation leadership.
EWS offers a 3.92% dividend yield and has shown strong momentum, gaining over 10% in 6 months and over 30% in a year. Singapore's robust economic indicators, including 5% GDP growth, low inflation and a positive interest-rate outlook, make it an attractive investment despite high government debt. The ETF's concentration in a few sectors and reliance on China pose significant risks, especially in the context of geopolitical tensions.
EWS offers broad exposure to Singapore and Southeast Asia with an attractive dividend yield, but global economic uncertainties warrant a Hold stance. Key components like DBS Group and OCBC show strong performance, while new additions like Sembcorp focus on green energy transformation. Concerns include high debt levels in companies like Wilmar and the uncertain profitability of Grab, leading to cautious investment recommendations.
International investing with single country ETFs like iShares MSCI Singapore ETF is favored at this point of the cycle. Singapore offers business-friendly tax policies and government incentives for infrastructure, skills training, and technological innovation. EWS provides targeted exposure to the Singaporean equity market with high concentration in the Financial sector, offering unique diversification and dividend yield.