SINGAPORE: Companies that have been suspended from trading on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) should resolve their underlying concerns within three years, says the bourse’s regulatory arm.
The development comes as Singapore Exchange Regulation (SGX RegCo) seeks to keep trading suspensions to the minimum necessary and provide greater certainty over delisting timelines.
Data on long-suspended issuers showed that those with a high likelihood of a positive outcome can achieve substantive resolution within three years, the regulator said.
These include reaching settlement terms with creditors and restructuring their operations, and the three-year timeframe is intended to allow room for restructurings that can “unlock value for shareholders”, it added.
Companies suspended for more than three years will be required to demonstrate substantive progress in resolving outstanding issues and present concrete plans to resume trading.
Where progress is deemed insufficient or lacking urgency, SGX RegCo said it will move to delist the issuers, as is the current practice.
SGX RegCo chief executive Tan Boon Gin noted that public markets serve to facilitate price discovery and liquidity, and a trading suspension undermines this “fundamental principle”.
“We have made progress in reducing the number of long-suspended issuers over the years. We would, nevertheless, like this list to be even shorter,” he said.
“We have since narrowed the range of situations in which we would keep an issuer suspended,” he added.
“We also expect such an issuer to step up efforts to complete its restructuring and avoid a prolonged suspension.”
SGX RegCo revised its approach to trading suspensions on Oct 29, 2025, narrowing the circumstances under which companies would be suspended.
Under the new framework, suspensions will be imposed only where there is clear evidence that an issuer may no longer be able to continue as a going concern.
Companies that were previously suspended for other reasons may now apply to resume trading, provided they are not undergoing formal insolvency or restructuring proceedings and their boards can substantiate that the business remains financially viable.
As at Dec 31, 2025, there were 39 long-suspended issuers on the SGX, unchanged from the previous report.
Of these companies, 16 are exploring a trading resumption, 10 are in liquidation or winding-up processes, and eight have received delisting notices.
“The companies are typically working to ensure compliance with their continuing listing obligations before trading resumption, or otherwise may have chosen to remain suspended until there is clarity in their state of affairs,” SGX said.
The remaining five are undergoing court-supervised restructuring or schemes of arrangement.
These are China Fishery, Pacific Andes Resources Development, BlackGold Natural Resources, USP Group and Hatten Land.
In the second half of financial year 2025, one company – Skylink Holdings – resumed trading, while two – Kris Energy and Imperium Crown – were delisted.
However, three companies were newly added to the long-suspended list, leaving the overall number unchanged. — The Straits Times/ANN
