The Singapore Exchange has put in substantial efforts to support companies after they go public here, said SGX head of sales and clients Chew Sutat.

"A lot more needs to be done to raise company profile and attract investors of all types, and SGX has certainly gone the extra mile on that front," Mr Chew told The Straits Times on the sidelines of the Healthcare Corporate Day last Friday.

Organised with CIMB, the event was the latest in a long list of activities that the SGX has conducted in the past 12 months to connect companies with investors.

"Over the year, we have organised at least 66 events profiling over 120 listed companies. We have done six corporate days in not just Singapore, but also Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur, to reach out to institutional investors and private wealth. All these are very tangible."

The profiling events and road shows are free for both the listed companies and investors, he added.

Mr Chew made this comment when responding to market concerns over the lack of liquidity and new listings in Singapore's equities market. The notion that the SGX has not done enough to support the market is false, he noted.

"First, I disagree that the market is quiet. The value traded in the third quarter was up 28 per cent year-on-year, despite the 12 per cent decline in market value. Certainly more can be done, but we have improved market liquidity."

Company performance is also crucial to having a vibrant market, particularly in the challenging macro-environment now, he added.

"Ultimately, the performance of the shares comes down to the performance of the companies. There are companies here that have delivered steady performance and good growth, and investors have rewarded them accordingly."

Wong Wei Han