Over the five trading sessions from April 4 to April 10, institutions were net sellers of Singapore stocks, with net institutional outflow of S$445 million. This brings the net institutional outflow for the 2025 year to April 10 to S$1.99 billion.

Institutional Flows

Over the five trading sessions through to April 10, the stocks that saw the highest net institutional outflow were DBS Group Holdings, United Overseas Bank, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp, Keppel, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Holdings, Mapletree Logistics Trust, CapitaLand Investment, CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust, Venture Corporation, and Mapletree Industrial Trust.

Meanwhile Singapore Telecommunications, Yangzijiang Financial Holding, Frasers Centrepoint Trust, Singapore Airlines, CapitaLand Ascendas REIT, Wilmar International, Singapore Exchange, Hongkong Land Holdings, Genting Singapore, and Sembcorp Industries led the net institutional inflow over the five sessions.

From a Sector perspective, Financial Services and Industrials experienced the highest net institutional outflow, while Telecommunications and Consumer Non-Cyclicals saw the most net institutional inflow. Notably, Singapore Telecommunications booked S$196 million of net institutional inflow over the five sessions.

Share Buybacks

The five sessions saw 32 primary-listed companies conduct buybacks with a total consideration of S$205 million, a surge from the preceding weekly consideration tallies in the vicinity of S$60 million to S$70 million. DBS Group Holdings led the consideration tally, with 3 million shares bought back at an average price of S$39.73 a share.

ESR-REIT and Stoneweg European REIT also conducted buybacks over the five sessions.

Director Transactions

The five trading sessions saw close to 80 director interests and substantial shareholdings filed for 40 primary-listed stocks. Directors or CEOs filed 28 acquisitions, and one disposal, while substantial shareholders filed 10 acquisition and one disposal. This included director or CEO acquisitions in Accrelist, Beng Kuang Marine, Centurion Corporation, Chemical Industries (Far East), China Sunsine Chemical Holdings, Creative Technology, Enviro-Hub Holdings, Frencken Group, GuocoLand, Ho Bee Land, International Cement Group, LMS Compliance, OUE, PropNex, Sing Investments & Finance, Singapore Shipping Corporation, Tai Sin Electric, UMS Integration, ValueMax Group, and Wilmar International.

Wilmar International

On April 7, Wilmar International chairman and CEO Kuok Khoon Hong grew his deemed interest in the global agribusiness by 598,900 shares at an average price of S$3.02 apiece. This increased his total interest from 14.33 per cent to 14.34 per cent. He has gradually increased his total interest in Wilmar from 12.94 per cent in October 2022. His preceding acquisition was on February 21 with 1,662,800 shares acquired at S$3.07 apiece. Mr Kuok has gradually increased his total interest in Wilmar from 12.94 per cent in October 2022.

On April 8, Wilmar International non-executive and independent director George Yeo acquired 130,000 shares at an average price of S$3.04 a share. This increased his direct interest in the global agribusiness to 906,500 shares or 0.015 per cent. His preceding acquisition was on February 24, with 176,500 shares acquired at an average price of S$3.09 a share. Mr Yeo was appointed to the Wilmar board in April 2024.

Frencken Group

Between April 4 and 7, Frencken Group non-executive non-independent chairman Gooi Soon Chai increased his total interest from 23.65 per cent to 23.73 per cent. This involved the acquisition of 300,000 shares at an average price of S$0.948 apiece, in addition to 40,000 shares acquired by Sinn Hin Company Sdn.

Dato' Gooi was appointed as Director in February 2015 and as Group Chairman in August 2016. With 30 years in the global technology industry, he is currently Senior Vice President of Keysight Technologies Inc. and President of Keysight's Electronic Industrial Solutions Group.

Frencken Group President and Executive Director Dennis Au acquired 100,000 shares at S$0.985 apiece on April 4. Mr Au was appointed as President of the Group in May 2015 and as Executive Director in April 2016, responsible for strategic direction, global operations, and performance. He also serves as CEO of the Mechatronics Division, overseeing business development in Europe, Asia, and the USA.

UMS Integration

On April 7, UMS Integration chairman and CEO Andy Luong acquired 199,800 shares at an average price of S$0.925 per share. This increased his deemed interest in the company from 15.34 per cent to 15.36 per cent. His preceding acquisitions on the open market were in September 2024 with 600,000 shares acquired at S$0.983 per share and May 2024, with 123,600 shares purchased at S$1.07 apiece.

Centurion Corporation

On April 7, Centurion Corporation non-executive director and joint chairman Han Seng Juan increased his total interest in the company from 55.68 per cent to 55.71 per cent. He bought 250,000 shares for a consideration of S$260,000, translating to an average price of S$1.04 per share.

His preceding acquisitions were in February 2025, with 600,000 bought at S$0.977 per share and in August 2020, with 1,525,000 shares purchased at S$0.352 per share. Responsible for the formulation of corporate and business strategies, he has also been a principal and director of Centurion Global, a controlling shareholder of the company, since April 2008.

GuocoLand

Between April 4 and 7, GuocoLand chairman and non-independent non-executive director Quek Leng Chan increased his deemed interest via acquisitions by HLX Sdn Bhd. This saw 146,000 shares purchased at an average price of S$1.43 apiece. Mr Quek maintains a 71.87 per cent deemed interest in the leading real estate group that offers comprehensive capabilities across the entire real estate value chain.

Ho Bee Land

Between April 4 and 7, Ng Noi Hinoy, spouse of Ho Bee Land executive chairman Chua Thian Poh, acquired 100,000 shares for S$178,000 at S$1.78 per share. This slightly increased Dr Chua's deemed interest in Ho Bee Land to 75.60 per cent. Previously, Madam Ng acquired 12,100 shares at S$1.95 per share on October 2, 47,700 shares at S$1.85 per share between September 12 and 13, and 22,200 shares at S$1.87 per share on September 23.

Beng Kuang Marine

Between April 7 and 9, Beng Kuang Marine executive chairman Chua Beng Yong acquired 500,000 shares at an average price of S$0.180 per share.

This took his total interest in the company from 4.38 per cent to 4.63 per cent. His preceding acquisition was back in September 2022, with 2.4 million shares bought at an average price of S$0.053 per share.

Mr Chua, is one of the founders of the Group and has over 30 years of experience in the marine, offshore, oil, and gas industries. He has been serving as the Executive Chairman since January 2022. In this role he oversees the overall management of the Group, including the development and direction of corporate plans, business strategies, and initiatives.

Tai Sin Electric

Between April 7 and 9, Tai Sin Electric executive director and CEO Bernard Lim Boon Hock acquired 216,700 shares at S$0.39 per share. This increased his total interest in the industrial group from 18.17 per cent to 18.22 per cent. Mr Lim has gradually increased his total interest in the company from 14.82 per cent at the end of 2019.

International Cement Group

International Cement executive director Chng Beng Hua acquired 4 million shares for a consideration of S$56,000 on April 9. At an average price S$0.014 per share, this increased his total interest in the producer and distributor of cement and gypsum plasterboards from 0.44 per cent to 0.51 per cent. His preceding acquisition was in April 2024, with 3,022,700 shares acquired at S$0.018 per share.

Enviro-Hub Holdings

On April 8, Enviro-Hub Holdings executive chairman Raymond Ng acquired 900,000 shares of the company at S$0.022 cents per share. With a consideration of S$19,800, this took his total interest in the environmental management solutions group from 29.10 per cent to 29.16 per cent. His preceding acquisitions were in November 2024, which saw him increase his total interest from 28.73 per cent to 29.10 per cent with the acquisition of 5,797,600 shares between S$0.023 and S$0.027 per share.

Inside Insights is a weekly column on The Business Times, read the original version.

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