In an interview with CNA Money Mind, Endowus Chief Client Officer So Sin Ting guides young adults on retirement planning, highlighting the importance of starting early, setting clear goals, and investing for the long term. She also explains how to estimate retirement needs and why holding too much cash can erode wealth over time.

Endowus Chairman Samuel Rhee and CIO Hugh Chung stressed that long-term market growth is driven by structural forces like population growth, inflation, and expanding liquidity. Despite short-term dips, markets like the S&P 500 tend to rebound and reach new highs. They urged investors to stay focused on fundamentals and align portfolios with long-term goals.

Endowus Chief Client Officer So Sin Ting outlined a holistic approach to retirement planning, highlighting the importance of CPF, SRS, and early investment. She urged Singaporeans to set realistic goals, automate contributions, diversify portfolios, and avoid emotional decisions to build long-term financial security.

In a live interview, Steffanie Yuen, Head of Endowus Hong Kong, shared findings from the Endowus Wealth Insight Report 2025, highlighting a gap between investor goals and behaviours in Hong Kong and Singapore. She stressed the importance of staying goal-aligned amid short-term market noise, urging investors to remain diversified and avoid reactive decisions in today’s uncertain environment.

Endowus Chief Investment Officer Hugh Chung said the weakening US dollar reflects declining confidence in US exceptionalism, due to fiscal deficits, trade policy, and geopolitical tensions. Despite these factors, he advised investors to stay focused on long-term strategies, noting that gold can act as a store of value, and that a diversified portfolio is essential for managing volatility and building wealth in the long term.

Endowus Chief Client Officer So Sin Ting discussed how emotional biases, such as present bias and inertia, can delay retirement planning, leading to many Singaporeans postponing their investment decisions. To stay on track, she advised automating monthly contributions from bank, CPF, or SRS accounts and selecting globally diversified portfolios managed by professionals to simplify long-term investing and reduce decision fatigue.

Endowus CIO Hugh Chung explained how CPF contributions and allocations shift across life stages to support retirement, healthcare, and housing needs. He highlighted key milestones such as the Retirement Account at 55 and CPF LIFE payouts at 65, while cautioning that CPF alone may not be sufficient. Hugh encouraged individuals to build personal savings alongside CPF to ensure financial security and flexibility in retirement.

As Asia expands retail access to private credit, Endowus CIO Hugh Chung noted key barriers such as limited transparency remain. He projected that Singapore’s retail demand could reach S$100 billion, if 5% of household assets shift to private credit. Chung emphasised the need for investor education, highlighting the illiquid nature of such assets and the importance of a long-term investment horizon.

On the Asia Centric podcast, Endowus Head of Hong Kong Steffanie Yuen discussed the growing accessibility of private market investments for retail investors, a shift driven by technology and innovation. She highlighted both the opportunities and risks in the sector, including the potential for overinvestment, as part of the broader trend of democratising investing.

SRS deposits have been steadily rising to over $20.58 billion in 2024. Endowus Chief Client Officer, So Sin Ting, observed strong growth among the 36-45 age group amongst the company’s clients, who often belonged to the “sandwich generation”. She attributed the trend to growing financial literacy, employer support, and broader investment options available under SRS. So also noted that if the scheme is optimised further, such as extending the 10-year withdrawal period, additional safeguards may be needed to help users fully maximise their retirement savings.

With MAS considering new frameworks for retail access to private markets, Endowus CIO Hugh Chung highlighted the potential of private assets to offer diversification and reduce portfolio volatility. He noted that while these investments can enhance long-term returns, investors should adopt a diversified approach and be mindful of liquidity and fees. Chung emphasised the importance of investor education and professional guidance to help retail investors navigate these opportunities confidently and responsibly.

Hugh Chung, Endowus’ Chief Investment Officer, weighed in on the growing uncertainty around the 60/40 portfolio strategy. Traditionally seen as a balanced approach to investing, the allocation of 60% equities and 40% bonds has faced headwinds amid persistent inflation and rising geopolitical tensions. Chung noted that sticky inflation may prompt interest rate hikes, which can negatively impact bond values, while also warning that stagflation could pressure equities. With stock valuations already stretched, it is important for investors to build diversified portfolios across asset classes and geographies.