As OANDA expands its Singapore offering with Share CFDs on US and European stocks, we explore the key market forces for 2026. From the "great rotation" in equities to the reality of AI in trading, discover why diversification and discipline are your most important assets this year.
If the last few years have taught us anything, it is that the financial markets rarely move in a straight line. As we settle into 2026, the landscape is shifting once again. For retail traders in Singapore, the ability to adapt — to pivot between asset classes and strategies, is no longer just a luxury; it is a necessity.
This need for flexibility is the driving force behind our latest major update for our Singapore clients. I am proud to announce that OANDA has officially expanded its CFD offering to include Share CFDs on US and European-listed stocks.
With this launch, we are rounding out our multi-asset ecosystem. Whether it is trading the volatility of NVIDIA, Microsoft, or Tesla, or looking at opportunities in the UK and Europe, our clients can now access these single-name equities as CFDs alongside our existing range of forex, indices, commodities, metals, and bonds. It is all accessible through the latest MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platform as well as via our new OANDA One mobile app.
But providing the tools is only half the battle. The question is: Why is this level of diversification critical right now?
The great 2026 rotation
We are currently in fascinating macroeconomic circumstances. The Federal Reserve has signalled a dovish stance, with interest rate cuts priced in for the year and the end of quantitative tightening as of late 2025.
What does this mean for traders?
First, a dovish Fed, contrasted with other central banks that are holding steady, could spark a downward move in the US dollar in 2026. A weaker dollar often acts as a tailwind for Asia-Pacific markets, potentially supporting bullish trends in Japan, China, Hong Kong, and right here in Singapore.
Second, while the US stock market’s secular uptrend remains intact — buoyed by a "Goldilocks" scenario of robust services activity and a softening labour market — the drivers of that growth are changing. We are seeing early signs of a sector rotation. The outperformance is shifting away from the mega-cap technology stocks that dominated the AI headlines over the last three years, and moving toward prior laggards like financials, industrials, materials, and energy.
We’ve already seen the Dow Jones and Russell 2000 hit fresh all-time highs recently, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq has trailed slightly. For the astute trader, this signals that simply "buying the index" may not be enough. The ability to drill down into specific sectors and trade individual Share CFDs is essential to capturing this alpha.
Furthermore, with geopolitical risks rising, from tensions in Venezuela to rhetoric surrounding Greenland and Iran, we expect risk premiums to support precious metals like gold and silver. Meanwhile, copper looks poised to extend its bullish run due to supply disruptions and structural demand from data centres and defence spending.
The AI reality check
Amidst these market shifts, the conversation inevitably turns to technology. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has democratised access to advanced analytics and pattern recognition that was once the domain of institutional desks.
However, as we roll out more sophisticated tools to our clients, it is vital to maintain a realistic perspective. AI is a powerful co-pilot, but it is not a silver bullet.
Every major wave in retail trading removes a barrier, cost, speed, or capital. AI removes the barrier of information processing, but it does not remove the human barriers of emotional discipline and risk management.
Traders need to be wary of the "AI trap," specifically:
- Regime shift blindness: AI models are often trained on specific past environments. When the market structure fundamentally shifts — like a sudden geopolitical shock — an AI model may "double down" on a strategy that is no longer relevant.
- Correlated failure: If the majority of the market is using similar models trained on similar datasets, we risk seeing crowded trades where everyone rushes for the exit simultaneously, amplifying volatility rather than mitigating it.
As we look ahead, the gap between disciplined and undisciplined traders will likely widen. The traders who succeed in 2026 will be those who use technology to reinforce their process, not replace it.
They will define their risk before the trade, knowing that in an AI-accelerated market, price moves happen faster than human reaction times.
At OANDA, our priority remains delivering a seamless, high-quality experience. We were honoured to be named a winner for Educational Materials/Programs and Customer Service in the Investment Trends Singapore 2025 Leverage Trading Report.
This recognition reinforces our commitment not just to providing the platform, but to providing the knowledge required to use it effectively.
With the launch of Share CFDs, we are putting the full spectrum of global markets in your hands. The opportunities for 2026 are there — across equities, commodities, and currencies — for those ready to trade them with discipline.
