Singapore Exchange : SGX welcomes the listing of Phillip SGX APAC Dividend Leaders REIT ETF

Singapore Exchange (SGX) today welcomed the listing of Phillip SGXAPAC Dividend Leaders REIT Exchange Traded Fund ('ETF')issued and managed by Phillip Capital Management (Phillip Capital).

This marks the first physically-replicated (cash-based) REIT ETF listed on SGX, as well as Phillip Capital's maiden ETF issue. This listing is also significant as the ETF is tracking an index created by SGX Index Edge, underscoring SGX's index engineering and customization capabilities.

The ETF tracks the SGX APAC ex-Japan Dividend Leaders REIT Index, designed and built by SGX Index Edge, in consultation with Phillip Capital Management.

The index is a dividend-weighted index that captures over 70% of the region's REIT universe by total capitalisation, taking into consideration size, free-float and liquidity. It comprises 30 top dividend-yielding REITs, with all constituent weights capped at 10% to ensure greater portfolio diversification.

Jeffrey Lee Chay Khiong, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Phillip Capital Management, said: 'We expect Asia Pacific REITs to continue to outperform as the asset class offers investors attractive income amid a low interest-rate environment. Hence we are very excited that with the debut of the Phillip SGX APAC Dividend Leaders REIT ETF, we can provide investors a solution toeasily invest in a diversified portfolio ofREITs which pays 4-5% in dividend yield per annum. This ETF does not look merely at the REITs that are paying the highest dividend yield but instead selects the large and established REITs with pedigree parentage which have the ability to pay dividends during both good and bad times.'

Chew Sutat, Head of Equities &Fixed Income, SGX, said: 'As the leading REIT listing hub in Asia and given the popularity of REITs amongst investors, we see the listing of Phillip Capital's REIT ETF as an importantdevelopment for SGX. This ETF captures 30 top dividend-yielding REITs from different markets, including 14 SGX-listed REITs, providing investors access to a basket of diversified, high-yield REITs across the Asia-Pacific region through a single investment.'