Inflation does not need to spiral out of control to hurt your finances.
Even a few years of steady price increments can affect your purchasing power and reduce your long-term investments if they can’t keep up.
That is why protecting your purchasing power is just as important as growing your wealth.
We explore five Singapore stocks that may help you stay ahead of rising 2026 inflation and preserve the value of your long-term wealth.
Credit Bureau Asia (SGX: TCU) – The Pricing Power Compounder
Credit Bureau Asia, or CBA, is a credit information provider that generates revenue by providing credit information for both individuals and businesses.
By operating with a wide moat, the company can pass high operational costs on to its customers without damaging its service demand.
In most cases, the demand for credit risk reports rises during inflationary periods as lenders start to get more cautious.
This has allowed CBA to see revenue growth even when the broader economy feels a pinch.
In FY2025, the company reported 0.7% year-on-year (YoY) growth in revenue, reaching S$60.1 million.
It also achieved a profit before tax (PBT) margin of around 50.3%.
For investors, this is a good sign because a high PBT margin provides the company with a cushion against increasing operational costs.
As a regulatory necessity with high margins, the business has a built-in defence mechanism against inflationary pressures.
DBS Group Holdings (SGX: D05) – The Dividend Growth Blue Chip
While many investors search for that high-yield stock, the real key to beat inflation is to find growing income.
And that’s where DBS shines.
The bank’s total income reached a new high of S$22.9 billion in FY2025, a 3% YoY growth.
Return-on-equity of 16.2% fell within its medium-term target, but was still relatively higher than those of its local peers.
Most importantly, its full-year dividend totalled S$3.06 per share, up 38% from last year.
This includes a consistent S$0.15 quarterly capital return, which was part of a multi-year plan to return S$5 billion in excess capital to shareholders.
In an environment with rising prices, it is far more important to own a blue chip that grows its payouts faster than the inflation rate than a stock with high but static yield.
Parkway Life REIT (SGX: C2PU) – The REIT With Built-In Escalations
With a portfolio of medical facilities and nursing homes across three countries, Parkway Life REIT is another stock that could help protect your wealth from rising inflation.
The REIT benefits from the defensive nature of healthcare demand, which is unlikely to just disappear because of inflation.
For FY2025, its net property income grew to S$147.5 million, 8% more than the year before.
The group also reported a weighted average lease expiry of 14.49 years and an almost full occupancy rate.
Its triple-net lease arrangement also helps reduce exposure to any increasing operating expenses.
Not to mention, the rising aging population and increasing longevity across all markets should support the demand for healthcare in years to come.
Sheng Siong Group (SGX: OV8) – The Defensive Essential Services Provider
When inflation begins to bite, households tend to cut back on discretionary spending but groceries remain an essential purchase.
That makes supermarket operators like Sheng Siong naturally more defensive during inflationary periods.
Sheng Siong’s latest results for the full year ended 31 December 2025 (FY2025) showed a 9.9% YoY increase in revenue to S$1.57 billion, reflecting the group’s resilience.
Its net profit rose by 8.5% YoY to S$149.2 million.
This growth was fuelled by the opening of 12 new stores as well as improved performance across its existing outlets.
With its ability to optimise sales mix and manage supply costs regardless of geopolitical tensions, Sheng Siong was able to display strong earnings stability.
Gross profit climbed from S$435.5 million in FY2024 to S$491.6 million in FY2025, while gross profit margin expanded from 30.5% to 31.3%.
Keppel Infrastructure Trust (SGX: A7RU) – The Asset-Backed Play
Lastly, Keppel Infrastructure Trust (KIT) offers a portfolio of critical assets, making it a natural inflation hedge.
The trust owns vital infrastructure assets like power generation assets (cogen plant, waste-to-energy plants), a gas distribution network, and water desalination plants which are the “pipes and wires” of a functioning economy.
In other words, the demand for KIT’s assets is less likely to be affected by inflation.
This resilience is backed by strong financial performance; during the first nine months of 2025 (9M2025), KIT reported a 59.2% YoY surge in distributable income, reaching S$119.9 million.
Another source of volatility protection is its exposure to Global Marine Group, whose revenue is backed by long-term contracts.
This stable operational base is supported by a robust balance sheet, featuring an interest coverage ratio of 13.1x, ensuring the trust remains well-positioned to manage its obligations even in a shifting interest rate environment.
For investors, this is a great mix of visible cash flow and exposure to essential assets
What Investors Should Avoid During Inflation
Not every income stock is built to cope with inflation, so chasing those flashing yields in 2026 without looking at the underlying cash flow is a recipe for disaster.
Stay away from those “yield traps” where dividends aren’t growing because inflation will likely chip away at those returns.
Companies with high-debt are equally dangerous – when interest rates rise to fight inflation, their debt repayments are going to skyrocket and shareholders’ returns will drop drastically.
Lastly, those businesses with razor-thin margins and zero pricing power are to be avoided as well.
When their operation costs go up and they are unable to raise prices, your dividends are the first thing to go.
Get Smart: Inflation Rewards Businesses That Can Adapt
At the end of the day, it isn’t about finding the perfect hedge, but more of owning resilient businesses that have the ability to pivot.
The most successful investments are those with the power to protect their margins, and consistently increase their payouts even when the cost of living continues to climb.
Some companies cut dividends in a downturn. These 5 didn’t.
Find out which Singapore blue chips have weathered past chaos…and why they could be your portfolio’s anchors in the next wave of downturn. Download the report free.
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Disclosure: Charlyn T. owns shares in DBS.
