Smart Reads of the Week: The Bright Side of a Market Crash

The NASDAQ decided to take a swoon this week.

As of Friday morning, the index is down 7.5% from its recent high.

But market declines do not always mean bad things are happening.

In fact, there are many things that we can be thankful with.

With new vaccines being developed and disseminated, the world is slowly but surely winning its fight against the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.

Green shoots are already appearing.

Our local banks, being a suitable barometer for the economy, have all sounded a note of optimism for 2021.

Sentiment has improved markedly since the nadir of the crisis almost a year ago, and demand is slowly but surely returning.

As investors, it pays to look on the bright side and believe that mankind can overcome these hurdles.

Over time, the tenacity of the human race will allow us to triumph over adversity and come out much stronger than before.

And it is this attitude that bodes well for investing in great companies over the long-term.

Here is a list of our top articles for this week.

1. 5 Things to Note from OCBC’s Full-Year 2020 Earnings Report

Here are five aspects of OCBC Ltd’s (SGX: O39) earnings that investors should take note of.

2. UOB’s Net Profit Falls by a Third from 2019: 5 Other Highlights from the Bank’s Full-Year Earnings

United Overseas Bank Ltd (SGX: U11) released its full-year 2020 earnings a day after OCBC. Here are five highlights from the bank’s earnings report.

3. 9 REITs That Reported a Year on Year Rise in DPU

Despite the pandemic, we managed to narrow down nine REITs that reported a year on year increase in distribution per unit.

4. 3 REITs Acquiring to Grow in 2021

Even though only two months of 2021 have passed, some REITs have been busy with acquisitions. Here are three that have conducted acquisitions recently.

5. 2 Stocks That Can Give you a Perfect CNY Reunion

With the Lunar New Year just over, here are two stocks that emphasize the importance of family ties.

6. 3 Hong Kong Stocks That Should be on Your Watchlist

Investors who are looking for exposure to China can consider these three promising Hong Kong companies.

7. ST Engineering Keeps its Dividend Unchanged: 5 Highlights from its Full-Year Earnings

Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (SGX: S63) has weathered this crisis well and kept its dividend constant from 2019. Here are five other aspects of the engineering giant that you may be interested to find out.

8. Are Singtel and StarHub Poised for a Turnaround?

The local telecommunication companies have been pressured by the pandemic in 2020. We look at whether bellwether stocks Singtel (SGX: Z74) and StarHub (SGX: CC3) can manage to recover this year.

9. Is ComfortDelGro Gearing Up for a Recovery?

With land transportation recovering as the pandemic situation eases, can ComfortDelGro Corporation Ltd (SGX: C52) find its mojo again and post growth for this year?

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Please refer to the individual articles for stock ownership disclosures.