SG Budget Conversations 2026

Under Budget 2026, Singapore will raise the qualifying salaries for Employment Pass and S Pass holders from 2027, alongside lifting the local qualifying salary and adjusting selected work permit levies. The changes are phased in, but they form part of a continued calibration of the foreign workforce framework. So, how might firms adjust their workforce mix? And what should businesses be reviewing now as the changes take effect from...

Budget 2026 is putting mid-career workers front and centre, with a range of measures designed to support reskilling, career transitions, and staying competitive in an AI-driven economy.

From enhanced SkillsFuture programmes and expanded training allowances to new AI initiatives and a merger of workforce agencies for more seamless career support, there’s a lot for workers to navigate. 

On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong spea...

Budget 2026 sets aside $50 million for a new SG Partnerships Fund to back ground-up community projects as part of a broader push to strengthen social bonds and build what Prime Minister Lawrence Wong calls a “we first” society. Corporate volunteer and donation tax incentives have also been extended to 2029, signalling a continued effort to encourage businesses to play a larger role in social impact.

But will funding and...

Artificial intelligence featured prominently in Singapore’s Budget 2026, with expanded support measures and new initiatives aimed at embedding AI across the economy. But announcements are only one part of the story.

The bigger question is: are Singapore SMEs ready to move beyond pilots to meaningful adoption? In this Budget-special edition of Industry Insight, Lynlee Foo speaks with Kelvin Koh, Co-Chair, Singapore Enterp...

What does Budget 2026 really mean for Singaporean youths? For young adults stepping into the workforce? For couples thinking about starting a family?

Was this Budget a hit or did it miss the mark? And are the support measures enough to ease the pressures young Singaporeans are feeling today?

On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Keith Yap, Founder and Host of The Front Row Podcast, to find out more. 

See omnystudio.com/list...

From Singapore’s AI ambitions to China’s EV and bubble tea giants - where is the smartest risk-reward right now?

Singapore’s Budget 2026 signals an accelerated AI roadmap just as Chinese growth names like BYD, XPeng, Pop Mart and Guming Holdings capture investor attention, hosted by Michelle Martin.

We unpack Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s innovation-led strategy and what it could mean for Singapore equities...

Budget 2026 sets out a mix of adjustments and incentives that may shape the operating environment for Singapore’s small and medium-sized enterprises going forward. From changes to foreign manpower qualifying salaries to measures aimed at supporting internationalisation and business transformation, the signals are clear but the impact may not be uniform across sectors.

So how should SMEs interpret this year’s Budget? Whe...

 AI is now at the heart of Singapore’s economic strategy. From supercharging adoption to building talent pipelines and reshaping how businesses operate, what does this mean for you, your job, and your company’s future? Are businesses ready, and will workers keep up?

On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Kwek SoCheer, Partner, Digital Solutions at PwC, to unpack how Budget 2026’s AI push will shape busines...

The Singapore market pulled back today following Budget 2026 announcements, even as the government unveiled measures to boost existing equities, startups and new listings.

The Straits Times Index (STI) crossed the 5,000-point barrier before the statement was delivered yesterday, buoyed by a strong 43.5 per cent net profit increase for Singtel. 

The momentum did not hold, though. In the first hour of trading today, the STI fell...

One of the changes in Budget 2026 is the halving of the maximum Preferential Additional Registration Fee (PARF) rebate for early deregistration of cars - from $60,000 to $30,000. But on the surface, this looks technical.

On Viewpoint, Lynlee Foo speaks to Lee Nian Tjoe, Senior Transport Correspondent at The Straits Times to find out how this change could reshape behaviour in meaningful ways for car owners and the second-hand market...

Can your child’s $10,000 today really turn into $86,000 - and what does Budget 2026 have to do with it?
Michelle Martin unpacks the latest Budget goodies - from CDC vouchers and CPF top-ups to corporate tax rebates - and what they mean for families, seniors and businesses.

Daniel Sim, Founder of Golden Goose Properties, breaks down the new voluntary CPF investment scheme and whether those in their late 40s should even cons...

In the wake of Singapore’s latest Budget, attention is turning to what the measures will mean where it matters on the ground for small and medium-sized enterprises. From cost pressures and manpower constraints to AI adoption and overseas expansion, are businesses feeling reassured… or still wary about the road ahead?

Budget 2026 was delivered yesterday against a backdrop of moderating growth and rising global uncertainty. The speech spanned business tax rebates, enhanced overseas expansion support, labour market adjustments, artificial intelligence initiatives, capital market funding, and more calibrated household support.

This episode of Morning Shot breaks down what stood o...

The STI has just crossed 5,000 for the first time, and Budget 2026 may be adding fresh fuel to the rally. From a S$1.5 billion boost to deepen equity participation, to a new National AI Council and fresh consumer support, the policy signals are clear.

Dan Koh speaks with Sarah Jane Mahmud, Senior Industry Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence to break down the real winners, the overlooked sectors, and whether Singapore stocks can susta...

On Money Matters' Budget 2026 Conversation, Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian speak to Harvey Koenig, Partner, Co-Head of BEPS COE, KPMG, Eugene Tan, Associate Professor of Law, Singapore Management University and former Nominated Member of Parliament, and Dr Clara Lee, Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies Social Lab, National University of Singapore, for their final thoughts on this year's Budget announcement, th...