Singapore firms’ payment delays worsen for third straight quarter in Q3: SCCB
Ongoing trends highlight financial strain on local businesses, says the bureau’s CEO Audrey Chia
Singapore companies experienced a three-quarter streak of worsening payment delays in Q3 2026, according to the Singapore Commercial Credit Bureau (SCCB). The bureau reported that slow payments, defined as less than 50% of total bills being paid within agreed terms, rose to 44.47% of all transactions in Q3, marking a 0.02 percentage point increase from Q2 and a 0.01 percentage point rise year-on-year.
Prompt payments, or those paid within the agreed terms, edged up by 0.01 percentage point to 41.05% in Q3. The construction, manufacturing, and retail sectors saw the most significant increases in slow payments, with the construction sector recording its fourth consecutive quarter of rising delays at 55.88%, followed by manufacturing at 39.99% and retail at 43.36%.
SCCB CEO Audrey Chia noted that despite minor fluctuations in overall payment performance, the persistent rise in payment delays over three quarters highlights ongoing cash-flow pressures faced by local businesses, emphasizing the need for robust credit risk assessment and proactive receivables management.
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