Singapore employees are optimistic about the new opportunities workplace automation will bring, although they remain apprehensive about having to change the way they do their jobs.

As January goes, so goes the year? Mr Gwak hopes so: "We remain optimistic that it will be a strong year for the SGD bonds market, for both the established blue-chip issuers as well as new names entering this market."

Local government Chinese bonds issued last Friday by the northern Hebei province were 52.74 times oversubscribed, underscoring huge demand for high-quality debt instruments as Beijing relaxes monetary conditions, the Shanghai Securities News reported.