SINGAPORE, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- More than half of investors in Singapore identify macroeconomic volatility as a major concern, followed by 49 percent citing cyber risks and 45 percent highlighting geopolitical conflicts, according to a survey by leading accounting firm PwC released on Wednesday.
Globally, the top concerns for investors are cyber risks, geopolitical conflicts, and macroeconomic volatility, with lower percentages -- 36 percent, 36 percent, and 34 percent, respectively -- reflecting these priorities, PwC said in its 2024 Global Investor Survey, which included responses from 345 investors and analysts worldwide.
Amid these challenges, 88 percent of Singapore investors emphasize the importance of a company's crisis management capabilities when making investment decisions, while 71 percent advocate for increased corporate investment in de-risking business models.
Artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a key area of focus, with nearly 80 percent of Singapore investors urging companies to deploy AI solutions at scale.
"Investors investing into Singapore no longer see AI as a 'nice to have' showpiece but expect to see AI investments translate into tangible outcomes, driving up productivity leading to higher revenue and profitability," said Patrick Yeo, deputy markets leader at PwC Singapore.
Technological change is seen as the most critical driver of business transformation by 80 percent of Singapore investors, outpacing factors like government regulation, geopolitics, supply chain instability, and shifts in customer preferences.
However, skepticism persists regarding corporate sustainability reporting. A notable 54 percent of Singapore investors agree such reports contain "unsupported claims -- marking little change over the past two years." ■