Date: April 20, 2010
SIAS is pleased to announce that it is working with its independent research arm, SIAS Research, to enhance investors’ knowledge about Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Structured Warrants (SW) and Extended Settlement (ES) contracts listed on Singapore Exchange (SGX).
To help investors diversify their trading and investment beyond just stocks, SIAS and SIAS Research are launching a new daily commentary report on tactical investment strategies using ETFs, warrants and ES contracts. Investors can access these daily commentary reports from both SIAS and SIAS Research websites; www.sias.org.sg and www.siasresearch.com.
SIAS and SIAS Research, in collaboration with SGX, are also starting a series of related activities to educate investors on these instruments. On 8th May, SIAS and SGX will jointly hold the “Broaden Your Investment Portfolio. Trade Beyond Stocks” seminar at Suntec Convention Centre. An investor education fair, the second “Asian Investors’ Convention and Exhibition”, will follow on 5th and 6th June, also at Suntec Convention Centre.
“Today’s trading environment is different. Investors have more instruments and choices. It’s not just buying and selling of stocks anymore. Take ETFs, for an example, they offer instant diversification and access to markets that was only a few years ago difficult to invest in; Structured Warrants (SW) can be used to free up capital invested in stocks or protect an existing stock portfolio against a falling market; and ES can be used as an efficient tool enabling investors to short sell a stock,” David Gerald, President and CEO, SIAS. “Investors, therefore, must continue to keep educating themselves about new products and understand risks before embarking on making a trade”.
“I am therefore pleased that SIAS and SIAS Research are collaborating with SGX, ETF and warrant issuers and brokers to demonstrate to investors how these new instruments can be used to build their portfolios. These events are open to all investors and I urge all members and non-members to participate to improve your investing knowledge” Mr Gerald said.
Mr Andrew Ler, Senior Vice President and Head of Private Investor of SGX, said, “We are encouraged by the industry participants’ efforts to develop investors’ sophistication in the broader range of products listed on SGX. In particular, we anticipate with great excitement the inaugural launch of market and product commentaries in the TODAY newspaper every Monday and Wednesday.”
Investors will also have access to more information resources with the re-launch of the SIAS e-magazine Singapore Investor, in May as well as an online Beginner’s Guide to Investing on the SIAS website soon.
About the Securities Investors Association (Singapore)
Securities Investors Association (Singapore) or SIAS, a non-profit organization, was founded unexpectedly in June 1999, to champion the CLOB issue. 172,000 retail investors were suddenly stranded when the Malaysian Government froze their investments on Malaysian stocks in September 1998, amounting to US$5 billion. A group of civic-minded citizens lead by Mr David Gerald got together and took on the challenge to free the frozen shares with an initial backing by 49,880 retail investors as members. Their resoluteness and unity helped to resolve the issue on our terms.
Today, SIAS is the largest organized investor lobby group in Asia, with almost 70,000 retail investors as members. It is run by a Management Committee comprising of professionals who are volunteers. It actively promotes Investor Education, Corporate Governance and Transparency and is the watchdog for Investor rights in Singapore. To-date, SIAS has successfully organized some 500 investor education programmes ranging from basic investment seminars for novices to certificate courses for investment savvy investors. Thus far, more than 60,000 retail investors have benefited from these programmes. which are offered largely free. Members are educated on the features of investment products, and the attendant risks involved in each product. Investors are taught to make informed decision on investing.
Today, SIAS is the voice for minority shareholders and has already locked horns with corporations falling short of good Corporate Governance practices. However, its preferred approach to resolve investors’ right issues is to do so in the boardroom and not in the courtroom. Many SIAS members have sought protection also from errant traders. SIAS conducts dispute resolution sessions regularly to assist members to resolve issues.
SIAS also works with Public Listed Companies to reach out to retail investors through its corporate communication programme to enable investors to determine the fundamentals of a company and take a long-term view of the company.
SIAS is able to provide a variety of investor education programmes to its members and the investing community at large through collaborative arrangements with financial institutions and listed companies interested in investor education as part of its corporate social responsibility agenda.
About SIAS Research Pte Ltd
SIAS Research Pte Ltd was created by the Securities Investors’ Association of Singapore (SIAS) to provide investors with independent and professional insights and analysis on publicly listed companies. Incorporated in October 2003, our portfolio of covered stocks started from a large group of under-researched “gems”. These were mainly smaller-cap stocks listed on the SGX. Over the years, our portfolio has grown to include listed companies with larger market capitalization such as Macquarie International Infrastructure Fund (MIIF).
As we grow, we appreciate that market and economic developments also affect the portfolio of our Investors. To further add value to our Investors, our analysts also provide in-depth market commentaries and perspectives. These top down reports offer Investors an understanding on how macro factors may affect various industries and in particular various companies in their industry. All reports can be accessed by members through our website (www.siasresearch.com).
| Issued by | : Securities Investors Association (Singapore) |
| Contact | : Securities Investors Association (Singapore) |
| Richard Dyason (General Manager) / | |
| Raymi Shankar (Assistant General Manager) | |
| SIAS Research Pte Ltd | |
| Choong Mei Har (Senior Executive) | |
| : richardcd@sias.org.sg / raymi@sias.org.sg / meihar@siasresearch.com | |
| Telephone | : +65 6227 2683 (SIAS) |
| +65 6227 2107 (SIAS Research) |
