Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday unveiled cash handouts for households and fresh support for workers, the elderly and small businesses in his budget speech. It had climbed above the 5,000 level for the first time ahead of the budget speech to a fresh record. Small businesses, banksA targeted 40% corporate tax rebate, capped at S$30,000 for year of assessment 2026 was announced in the budget. The measure may aid small businesses in managing business expenses and scale up, which could also stimulate small-business loan demand. “Banks in Singapore, including DBS Group Holdings Ltd, are set to see business activity pick up and asset quality improve on new government-support measures,” said Sarah Jane Mahmud, senior analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.

Source: The Edge Markets February 13, 2026 09:48 UTC