Singapore financial updates: SGX lot size cuts and UOB-Guangzhou partnership

The Singapore Exchange (SGX) will implement changes to standard board lot sizes starting October 5, 2026, to improve market affordability for retail investors. For instruments priced between $10 and $100, the lot size will be reduced from 100 units to 10 units. For instruments priced above $100, the size will be cut from 100 units to a single unit. The initial reduction applies to 11 stocks, including DBS, OCBC, UOB, Keppel, and SGX, which collectively accounted for 35 percent of SGX trading activity in the first half of 2026.

Separately, United Overseas Bank (UOB) has signed a three-year memorandum of understanding with the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City Administrative Committee (KCAC). The agreement aims to strengthen financial collaboration and cross-border investment between the ASEAN region and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). The partnership will focus on supporting companies expanding into Singapore and ASEAN through market insights, advisory services, and international financing solutions.