Chart of the Day: Share buybacks more than tripled to $1.53b in 2018

CapitaLand, DBS and OCBC led the buyback spree.

This chart from the Singapore Exchange (SGX) shows that the total buyback consideration in 2018 made by 100 stocks hit $1.53b which is more than thrice the 2017 total buybacks which totalled $426m.

This is despite a monthly decrease in buyback consideration by December which hit $78m, down from the $88m worth of shares bought back in November.

In 2016, buybacks reached $826m whilst 2015 saw a total of $2b worth of buyback transactions.

SGX revealed that the year-long buyback considerations in 2018 was led by CapitaLand, DBS, OCBC, UOB & Keppel Corp.

“Buybacks conducted by STI stocks made up more than 80% of the $1.53b consideration in 2018 & represented 0.5% of their combined market value,” SGX explained.