5 Top STI Stocks of 2021, and 3 Top Blue-chip Stocks to Watch in 2022

Read our rundown of the top blue chip stocks in 2021 and 2022 to learn which stocks emerged as the best performers this year, and which ones you should keep track of next year. 

We’re coming up to the end of the year, which is a time when many investors evaluate their investment portfolios, rebalancing their exposures and preparing to add some new ones. 

To help you along, we’re taking a look back at the top performers of the year, as well as some stocks you should keep an eye on as we transition into the new year. 

Let’s get started, shall we? 

Top 5 blue-chip STI stocks in Singapore in 2021

In order to find the best-performing stocks in Singapore by growth, we looked into the Straits Times Index (STI). 

The STI tracks the performance of the top 30 companies listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX).

Here are the five best performers for 2021.

YZJ Shipbldg SGD (BS6) - Up 36% in 2021

In a sea of big names and renowned companies, leading the pack is this little SME that could.

Yangzijiang Shipbuilding is a Chinese industrial shipbuilder that was incorporated in Singapore in 2005. Its office is located at Cecil Road, and has a company size of just under 1,000. 

The Group was the surprise winner, beating out even Singapore’s vaunted banking big three in terms of price performance. It posted a share price growth of 36% for 2021.

YZJ produces a range of commercial vessels, including mini bulk carriers, bulk carriers, multi-purpose cargo vessels, containerships, chemical tankers, offshore supply vessels, rescue and salvage vessels and lifting vessels.

DBS (D05) - Up 29% in 2021

Coming in at second place is DBS, which saw a share price increase of 29% for 2021. 

The strong performance should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Singapore’s stock market, but it’s still nice to see the stock reaffirming its status as a stalwart member in your growth stock portfolio. 

Plus, D05 is a dividend-paying stock, which means more good news on the horizon for investors, as 2021’s gains are likely to be reflected accordingly in the coming distributions. 

HongKongLand USD (H78) - Up 24% in 2021

The third-best performer for 2021 by stock price is HongKongLand USD, which trades under the ticker H78 on the SGX. 

The Group is a leading property investment, management and development group, and owns and manages more than 850,000 sqm of prime office and luxury retail property in Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing and Jakarta, among other key Asian cities.

That H78’s stock price has risen by 24% in 2021 isa  positive sign that could signal a broader recovery throughout the property sector is on the horizon. 

UOB (U11) - Up 19% in 2021

At fourth place is UOB, which managed a 19% increase in stock price for the year. Its inclusion on the list (along with DBS) isn’t unexpected, given that Singapore’s banking sector remained strong in 2021.

As with its second-place counterpart, UOB stocks are dividend bearing. So if you’ve been looking to add another stock to your banking or finance-focused portfolio, consider this one. 

Sembcorp Ind (U96) - Up 17%

The fifth stock in our list of best performers for 2021 is Sembcorp Ind, which saw a share price increase of 17% for 2021. This is a step in the long road towards correcting U96’s 30%+ drop in price over the past five year. 

It seems that Sembcorp Ind’s continued march towards sustainability and climate change, led by renewables and integrated urban solutions, is already reaping good results. 

If it keeps this up, there’s no reason why Sembcorp Ind can’t keep its hardwon status as one of Singapore’s premier blue-chip darling.

3 blue-chip stocks to watch in 2022

And now, let’s do a little bit of crystal-ball gazing. Here are our picks for five blue-chip stocks you should be keeping an eye on for 2022. 

For this list, we’ll be venturing beyond our borders, into the global markets.

Disney (NYSE: DIS)

The home of everyone’s favourite mouse has been taking a beating in the stock markets, with the pandemic wreaking havoc on its theme parks and movie studio revenue.

However, the magic of Disney is once again proving irresistible, as the entertainment giant has made impressive inroads in the home entertainment sector.

Since its inception in 2019, Disney+ has gained around 118 million subscribers to date. In comparison, Netflix, which had a multi-year head start, sits at around 209 million subscribers. (Watch out Netflix, the mouse is gonna steal yo cheese!)

And also, as dire as the pandemic has made things, it, too, shall pass. Imagine the revenue that will start flowing into Disney’s coffers once again, when the masses resume their visits  to theme parks and movie theatres in America (and all around the world).

When that happens, the stock price will more than likely surge from the lows it is now trading at, offering some good opportunities for profit.

Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA)

Yes, the leading maker of graphics cards for computers is trading at all time highs at the moment, but did you also know NVDA has outperformed the S&P500 by 10 times.

The fundamentals of the company have been well and thoroughly proven, but in case you need extra convincing why this one should be on your watchlist - perhaps because you fear it’s a one-trick pony - just take a gander at all the different sectors Nvidia is actually involved in. 

It’s quite a long list, but some highlights include data centres, cybersecurity, space exploration, augmented, virtual and mixed reality, autonomous driving, e-commerce, cryptocurrency and big data. 

If you believe in any of these sectors, Nvidia should be an easy addition to your portfolio.

Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA)

You can’t forget about COVID-19 stocks, especially the rising star, Moderna, which managed a breathtaking 273% increase in price performance this year.  

There are a few reasons why we’re so bullish on MRNA in 2022. Firstly, there is evidence to suggest that Moderna’s vaccine may be the optimal choice when utilising vaccine maxing as a pandemic-fighting strategy. This alone creates huge potential for the stock to truly take off in the coming weeks. 

Secondly, Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, Spikevax, is still seeing strong demand around the world, bolstered by the appearance of the Omicron variant. As such, the company already has more than US$17 billion in sales for 2022, and the projected total sales for 2021 is between US$15 million and US$18 million. 

Thirdly, Moderna is already planning for the long term. It aims to develop an annual jab that would be effective against respiratory diseases caused by microbes such as coronavirus, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus. The jab may also be beneficial to fight other types of respiratory infections as well. 

Taken together, the potential for continued revenue growth and strong price action simply cannot be understated.

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