Today, I bought OCBC as OCBC share price crashed sharply together with the other two local Singapore banks, DBS (SGX:D05) and UOB (SGX:U11). It was a rough day for the entire banking sector. OCBC (SGX:O39) opened the trading session at S$15.42, but the selling pressure continued throughout the day, eventually dragging the OCBC share price down to close at the day’s low of S$14.81. When you see such a steep drop in a single day, it is natural to start wondering whether this presents a buying opportunity and what the OCBC dividend yield looks like at the current price. I will share more about the dividend yield further below, especially for those who are evaluating whether this dip is worth taking advantage of.
The major selloff did not happen without reason. It all started on Monday after Donald Trump announced a new round of tariffs that he intends to impose on various countries. These tariffs were revealed last week, and although Singapore was placed in the lowest tier at 10%, the announcement still sent shockwaves across global markets. Even though Singapore’s tariff rate was relatively mild compared to other countries, the psychological impact was enough to trigger widespread fear and uncertainty. As a result, global stock markets tumbled, and the Singapore stock market was not spared. Investors reacted swiftly, selling off shares across multiple sectors, with banks being among the hardest hit due to their sensitivity to economic conditions and global trade flows.
So, is this situation a crisis or an opportunity? In my opinion, the answer really depends on your mindset and your investment horizon. Some investors may view this as a crisis, choosing to stay away from the market until the volatility settles. Others, however, may see this as a rare opportunity to accumulate fundamentally strong stocks at discounted prices. Personally, I belong to the second group. When quality companies experience temporary price drops due to external events rather than internal weaknesses, I see it as a chance to nibble on stocks that I have been monitoring for a long time. OCBC is one of those stocks for me.
If you take a look at my stock portfolio below, you will notice that OCBC currently makes up only 4.20% of my entire portfolio. This is relatively small, which gives me room to increase my position without overexposing myself to a single stock. Despite the recent volatility, the bulk of my cash remains safely parked in Singapore Savings Bonds, which continue to provide stability and predictable returns. With that safety net in place, I am comfortable taking calculated risks by adding selectively to my equity positions during market downturns.
In short, while the market turbulence may seem alarming on the surface, it can also present opportunities for long‑term investors who are prepared and disciplined. For me, today was one of those days where the risk‑reward balance made sense, and that is why I decided to add more OCBC to my portfolio.
As a dividend investor, are you wondering how much dividend is OCBC Bank paying over the past years? As you can see from below, OCBC Bank was able to constantly payout dividends year-on-year. For the last 5 years, OCBC Bank increased its dividend payout every year. For more details of OCBC dividend history, you can refer to their investor relation’s page.
Financial Year: 2024
Total Dividend Payout: 1.01 SGD per share (Interim: 44 cents, Final: 41 cents, Special: 16 cents)
Financial Year: 2023
Dividend Payout: 0.82 SGD per share (Interim: 40 cents, Final: 42 cents)
Financial Year: 2022
Dividend Payout: 0.68 SGD per share (Interim: 28 cents, Final: 40 cents)
Financial Year: 2021
Dividend Payout: 0.53 SGD per share (Interim: 25 cents, Final: 28 cents)
Financial Year: 2020
Dividend Payout: 0.318 SGD per share (Interim: 15.9 cents, Final: 15.9 cents)
OCBC’s upcoming ex-dividend date is on 25th April 2025. OCBC’s shareholders who own OCBC (SGX:O39) stock before this date will receive OCBC’s next dividend payment of S$0.57 per share on 9th May 2025. With today’s transaction, OCBC now makes up 5.26% of my stock portfolio.
OCBC Share Price
Will the share prices of Singapore Banks dip further? Based on past experiences, the stock market under Trump’s administration tends to be volatile. Under such volatile market conditions, I believe the share prices of Singapore Banks will be like a roller coaster ride.