My Investment Portfolio - SG (End Jan 2024)

Transactions:

- Added 4,000 units of Mapletree Log Trust at $1.54

I never expected to make any buy transactions in January. But when my T bills applications kept being unsuccessful coupled with current T bills maturing, and Reits going down again, I decided to deploy my warchest. A few stocks that caught my eyes include Mapletree Industrial Trust, Mapletree Logistic Trust and Raffles Medical. 

For Mapletree Industrial Trust, it is already my biggest holding, hence I decided to add only if it goes lower. 

For Raffles Medical, with foreigners returning and the fact patients are not as price sensitive when it comes to medical especially for serious conditions, I wanted to buy Raffles Medical. Their China play was also attractive. "Was" is the keyword as the context has just changed again.

China play which was attractive in the past is now the bottleneck. This is for both Raffles Medical and Mapletree Logistics Trust. Is China economy recovering or does it need to undergo a bigger scale  industry transformation and restructuring? It looks like it is the latter, which if true will take sometime.  But as usual, I cannot predict the future and cannot time the market. I decided to add on Mapletree Logistics Trust due to its strong track record and also the fact that it in other countries too. If Raffles Medical and Mapletree Industrial Trust drops lower, I think my itchy fingers will be triggered. 

January has typically been the month when I have a dry harvest (i.e. no dividends at all). It continued to be this way for 2024. I hope to start collecting a small amount of dividends in Februray, followed by a bumper harvest in March. 

Dividends received* during the month: $0

Total dividends received in 2024: $0

Average dividends per month^: $0

Total Portfolio Market Value: $364,647

* Dividends are recognised after payment date. Average dividends per month is calculated by dividing the dividends received by 12 months regardless of the month. 

Portfolio excludes Singapore Savings Bonds, T-bills and Foreign Stocks

^ Divided by 12 months regardless of month of the year. 

2023 CPF Interest of $11,134.61 and top up CPF MA to the new BHS

1 January is always an exciting day. Not because it is the start of the new year, but because it is the date where we can all check how much CPF interest we have earned in the preceding year.  

I received $11,134.61 in interest from CPF for the year of 2023. In 2022, I received $9,281.95 in interest. The MA interest was adjusted into OA as my SA had already reached Full Retirement Sum (FRS). 

With MA Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS) being increased to $71,500 from $68,500 in 2024, I did a $3,000 cash top up to my MA on 1 January.  Hence, my MA is now back at BHS level (i.e. $71,5000). 

Why did I do a top up on the first day of 2024?

1) I wanted to get tax relief of $3,000 for Year of Assessment 2025

2) My monthly CPF contributions from employer is typically credited on the first or second day of the month. I did not want that contribution to decrease my tax relief, I wanted to get a full $3,000 tax relief. 

3) I will now be able to 'super charge' my OA. My monthly contributions from employer for MA will not flow to OA. This is because my MA has reached BHS AND my SA has reached FRS.

If you would like to find out how I reach FRS last year, you can refer to this post.