{
  "id": 19236487,
  "title": "Is Singapore still South-east Asia’s headquarters haven?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/is-singapore-still-south-east-asias-headquarters-haven",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-09T23:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Business Times - Singapore",
    "slug": "the-business-times-singapore",
    "url": "https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/singapore/economy-policy/singapore-still-south-east-asias-headquarters-haven"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Singapore remains a dominant hub in Southeast Asia for multinational businesses despite some major corporate exits in 2026, according to experts. Headquarters and professional services activities made up 62.5% of total business expenditure commitments in Singapore in 2025, a sharp increase from 27.2% in 2021. Meanwhile, general manufacturing's share of annual total business expenditure shrank to 0.1% from 2.1% in 2021. Large corporations like H&M and Yeo Hiap Seng have shifted certain operations to Malaysia, while maintaining headquarters in Singapore. But economy watchers remain confident that Singapore will continue to attract investments from a diverse range of companies, including mid-sized and high-growth enterprises. The city-state's appeal lies in its high-value headquarters position and the broader Southeast Asian region's cost-competitive production base.",
  "summary": "Business hubs are flocking to the city-state, as lower-value activities move offshore in the region",
  "key_points": [
    "Singapore retains top spot as SE Asia's headquarters hub despite corporate exits.",
    "Headquarters and professional services now 62.5% of business expenditure in 2025.",
    "Manufacturing share of total business expenditure fell to 0.1% in 2025."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}