Singapore Company & Shareholder Directory

Analysis

What this data actually tells you about Singapore

Singapore is one of the world’s most developed, trade-dependent economies, with nominal GDP of approximately S$789.5 billion in 2025, up 3.1% year-on-year in nominal terms, while real GDP growth for full-year 2025 was reported in a range of roughly 4.4-5.0% depending on the specific SingStat release cited. Growth accelerated sharply into 2026: the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s 2026 GDP growth forecast was revised upward three times within the year, from roughly 1.0-3.0% in late 2025 to 4.5-5.5% by August 2026, after Q2 2026 growth came in at 5.9% year-on-year, driven substantially by electronics and semiconductor export strength tied to AI demand. GDP per capita was reported at roughly $99,365 in 2025 (current US$, IMF), among the highest in the world. Inflation has been rising through 2026: MAS Core Inflation reached 2.0% year-on-year in July 2026 and headline CPI inflation 2.2%, the highest headline reading in nearly two years, with the Monetary Authority of Singapore revising its 2026 inflation projection up to 1.5-2.5% partly citing energy-price effects from Strait of Hormuz shipping disruptions. Singapore does not target an interest rate; instead MAS manages monetary policy via the Singapore Dollar Nominal Effective Exchange Rate, letting the currency move within an undisclosed policy band reviewed roughly every six months, a structurally distinctive monetary framework.

Total population reached 6.11 million as of mid-2025 (+1.2% year-on-year), comprising 4.20 million residents (3.66 million citizens plus 0.54 million permanent residents) and 1.91 million non-residents, who make up roughly 31% of the total population, a structurally important feature of Singapore’s labour market. Unemployment has held at a seasonally-adjusted 2.0% for five consecutive quarters through Q1-Q2 2026, historically low by global standards. Singapore’s total 2025 merchandise trade reached S$1,397.7 billion (+8.7%), with the Port of Singapore posting a record 44.66 million TEU in container throughput (+8.6%) as the world’s largest transshipment hub, and Changi Airport recording 69.98 million passengers (+3.4%). Singapore holds a AAA sovereign credit rating from both S&P and Moody’s. Government gross debt-to-GDP is unusually high on paper, but this reflects Central Provident Fund-backing securities and reserves-management bonds rather than deficit financing; the Ministry of Finance states the government has no net debt, with financial assets exceeding liabilities. A US 10% Section 122 import surcharge took effect February 20, 2026 and applies to Singapore goods despite the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, even after the US Supreme Court struck down separate IEEPA-based tariffs, including a 40% transshipment penalty, the same day; Singapore’s domestic exports to the US reportedly fell 28% year-on-year between April-August 2025 under the earlier tariff regime.

Singapore’s political leadership remains stable following a May 3, 2025 general election in which the ruling People’s Action Party, led by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in his first election as leader, won 87 of 97 elected seats with 65.6% of the vote, an improved share from 61.2% in 2020. A major, ongoing external shock affecting Singapore’s trade- and energy-exposed economy stems from the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran that began in late February 2026: Strait of Hormuz shipping, a corridor for roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies before the conflict, has been reported at a small fraction of pre-conflict transit volumes since, with global oil prices still meaningfully elevated as of September 2026 and reopening of normal shipping still contingent on unresolved negotiations between the US and Iran. This content presents these developments factually and with explicit dates throughout, and given how directly Singapore’s energy imports and global trade flows are affected, counterparties should verify current status independently before relying on any trade- or energy-linked figure in this content.