This week, your grocery runs just got a little sweeter—2 supermarket giants are making it easier and more rewarding to stock up on essentials. On the jobs front, the latest manpower figures bring some sobering news, though there are silver linings if you look closely. Thinking of buying or selling a home? The resale condo market is sending mixed signals worth understanding. Elsewhere, car buyers will want to check the latest COE numbers, an insurer is popping up at your MRT station with a fun challenge, and a beloved timepiece may be worth more melted down than sold. That's 8 stories worth your time.
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FairPrice Group extends Return Vouchers to stretch your CDC dollars further
Image: FairPrice Group
If you've been using your CDC or SG60 supermarket vouchers at FairPrice, here's some good news—FairPrice Group (FPG) has extended its third wave of Return Vouchers to 21 June 2026.
Here's what you need to know:
This is the third time FPG has rolled out Return Vouchers in 2026, and it sits alongside other cost-of-living initiatives the group has launched this year—including a price freeze on over 500 daily essentials extended till 31 August 2026. It's a practical way to squeeze a little extra value out of government support, especially when grocery bills are still feeling the pinch of inflation.
ALSO READ: Which Is The Best Credit Card for Groceries in Singapore?
foodpanda and Sheng Siong team up for on-demand grocery delivery—with $280,000 in giveaways
Image: Foodpanda
Sheng Siong is coming to foodpanda. From 22 June 2026, shoppers can order from one of Singapore's most beloved supermarket chains directly on the foodpanda app, with delivery in under an hour. It's a notable tie-up—Sheng Siong joins as an exclusive partner, giving foodpanda users access to over 12,000 grocery and household products from 43 outlets islandwide.
The partnership reflects a real shift in how Singaporeans shop. foodpanda reports a 7% rise in grocery order frequency since 2023, with the average number of items per order up 8%—suggesting more people are using delivery for their regular grocery runs, not just top-ups.
To sweeten the launch, there's a sizeable campaign running from 22 June to 19 July 2026:
foodpanda is also rolling out a 3-wheeler delivery fleet to handle larger, bulkier grocery orders—handy for those bigger weekly hauls.
ALSO READ: Pandapro vs GrabUnlimited—Only 2 Players, Which is More Worth it Now?
MOM report: Singapore retrenchments hit highest level since Q3 2023
Singapore's job market showed some strain in the first quarter of 2026, according to the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) Labour Market Report. Retrenchments rose to 3,830—the highest quarterly figure since Q3 2023—while job vacancies slipped from 77,700 in December 2025 to 73,300 in March 2026.
A few key numbers to note:
Degree holders saw the sharpest rise in retrenchments, pointing to ongoing restructuring in professional and knowledge-intensive sectors like financial services and manufacturing. Importantly, MOM noted that business reorganisation—rather than cost-cutting—remained the primary driver.
There are some silver linings though. Overall employment still grew by 9,400 jobs, marking 18 consecutive quarters of growth. Re-employment rates also improved, and MOM expects retrenchments to stabilise, with fewer firms signalling plans to let workers go.
Resale condos are taking much longer to sell—but prices aren't budging
If you've been browsing the resale condo market lately, you've probably noticed there's a lot more to look at—and a lot less urgency. Listings are now staying online for nearly twice as long as they did at the post-Covid-19 market peak, with buyers taking their time and sellers largely holding firm on prices.
The numbers tell the story clearly:
The slowdown is consistent across all regions, with the Core Central Region seeing the sharpest shift. Despite softer transaction volumes—resale units sold have fallen for 2 consecutive quarters—asking prices remain elevated. Analysts point to macroeconomic headwinds like inflation and job uncertainty as contributing factors, though the resale market is expected to stay relatively resilient given low new supply and a significant price gap between new and resale units.
ALSO READ: Downpayment for Condo: How Much Do First-Timers Need in Singapore? (2025)
COE premiums dip across the board, with Cat A edging above Cat B for the third time this year
In the latest COE bidding exercise on 17 June 2026, premiums fell across most categories—and in a notable twist, Category A cars once again closed higher than Category B. It's the 3rd time this has happened in 2026, with the previous occurrence in April.
Here's how the numbers stacked up:
A total of 4,462 bids were received against a quota of 3,219 COEs. Cat A creeping above Cat B is an unusual dynamic—it suggests demand for smaller, more affordable cars is holding up relatively well compared to larger, more powerful ones.
ALSO READ: COE vs PARF Cars in 2025: Which Is Better for Your Budget in Singapore?
Etiqa Insurance launches "When Life Spins, Stay Ready" campaign at MRT stations
Etiqa Insurance Singapore has launched a campaign called "When Life Spins, Stay Ready"—a fun, interactive out-of-home activation running across high-traffic locations in Singapore from June 2026. The idea is refreshingly simple: readiness isn't just about crisis planning; it's built through the small, everyday choices we make.
Here's how it works:
- Register onsite at any activation location
- Answer 6 quiz questions spanning 3 readiness pillars—Mind, Body, and Money
- Get at least 4 correct to qualify for a prize-wheel spin
- Up to 4,000 prizes up for grabs across 42 activation days
The 3 pillars cover practical ground—mental resilience and stress management (Mind), daily physical habits like movement and hydration (Body), and budgeting and saving behaviours (Money).
The campaign kicks off at City Hall MRT on 11 June 2026 and runs for 6 weeks across multiple locations. It also sets the stage for Etiqa's upcoming Life Preparedness Survey—conducted by Kantar and due out in the second half of 2026—which will dig deeper into how Singaporeans approach financial, physical, and mental preparedness. Keep an eye out if you're passing through the MRT.
Soaring gold prices are sending vintage luxury watches to the melting pot
Here's a story that will make watch lovers wince. With gold prices near record highs, some classic luxury watches are being melted down for their metal content—because the gold inside is now worth more than the watch itself.
Gold hit a record US$5,600 per ounce in January 2026, driven by geopolitical tensions and trade uncertainty. It has since eased to around US$4,200—still nearly double its 2024 average. That's created a strange new calculus for watch traders:
Brands most affected are those that don't tightly control production—think Omega and TAG Heuer—whose pre-owned prices haven't kept pace with gold's rise. In contrast, brands like Rolex and Patek Philippe, which manage supply carefully, continue to command strong premiums well above melt value.
It's not just vintage pieces at risk. Traders report that overproduced, unsold Swiss watches are also being scrapped. Overall gold recycling rose 5% to 366 tonnes in Q1 2026, per World Gold Council data. With gold forecast to reach between US$5,400 and US$6,300 per ounce by end-2026, the trend shows little sign of slowing.
Singapore's exports post strongest growth in two decades, driven by AI demand
Singapore's non-oil domestic exports (NODX) jumped 38.4% in May 2026 compared to a year earlier—the strongest monthly performance in 20 years, according to Enterprise Singapore. It's a significant acceleration from April's already impressive 24.4% growth, and the headline number is largely an AI story.
The breakdown tells you where the action is:
Non-electronic exports—led by pharmaceuticals, specialised machinery, and non-monetary gold—also held up well. Total trade for May stood at $154.3 billion, with exports at $79.2 billion and imports at $75.1 billion.
NODX rose to 9 of Singapore's top 10 markets, with Indonesia the sole exception. OCBC's chief economist Selena Ling noted that NODX grew 18.1% in the first 5 months of 2026, though she cautioned that the second half of the year may see some moderation as base effects kick in. OCBC's full-year NODX growth forecast remains at 6%.
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That’s it for this week! Stay tuned for next week’s What’s Happening This Week to keep up with the latest in finance, business, and beyond.
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