SensingSG’s Q1 2026 data shows that Singaporeans continue to back the country’s overall direction, with 89% saying it is on the right track. Yet beneath that headline resilience, household sentiment is weakening fast. Economic pessimism has doubled in a single quarter, personal finance confidence has slipped to a two-year low, and the impact of global price shocks is beginning to register more sharply in daily life.

Blackbox’s latest SensingSG data shows that hawker culture remains deeply embedded in everyday Singaporean life, with 95% saying it is important and 69% calling it “very important” or “essential”. Yet this cultural mainstay is entering a more fragile phase. Rising costs, an ageing hawker population and resistance to price increases are creating a structural squeeze, leaving many Singaporeans worried that one of the country’s most defining institutions may slowly fade without more decisive intervention.

Singaporeans Steady at Home, Uneasy Abroad
SensingSG’s Q2 2025 data paints a picture of a confident Singapore — 90% say the country is on the right track, and personal financial sentiment continues to improve post-GE2025. Yet, this domestic optimism contrasts with growing unease abroad. Trump’s tariffs have soured sentiment toward the U.S., with 1 in 3 reducing spending on American goods. Meanwhile, Chinese brands are rising fast, beating out some American competitors, and reflecting a shifting trust landscape that’s beginning to shape everyday choices at home.

As Singapore approaches GE2025, find out what Singaporean voters are thinking. Our latest insights explore how rising optimism, shifting voter priorities, and key social trends are shaping the nation’s political landscape. From evolving cost-of-living concerns to the impact of leadership transitions and local issues, this Blackbox Research briefing provides a data-driven analysis of what to expect in the months ahead.

Our HorizonASEAN report measures what matters most to Southeast Asians and is an important resource for stakeholders looking to navigate the shifting landscapes of the ASEAN economies.

SensingSG is a unique, innovative community insights platform that tracks the sentiments of Singaporeans through quarterly surveys. The insights described in this article relate to the most recent data wave of SensingSG, with the fieldwork carried out between 26 Jan and 7 Feb 2024

What is Singapore’s current position as it settles into 2024? With persistent economic challenges and political change, we decode what lies ahead for it.

Our Sensing SG findings reveal that while the general mood in Singapore is confident, many Singaporeans are still feeling the full weight of economic pressures.

It should be no surprise that cost is the key theme of Budget 2023. With overall inflation rising to 6.6% year on year in January 2023, Singaporeans have noticed the rising prices for virtually everything.

Governments will need to be proactive trying to rein in inflation, provide job opportunities, and manage rising costs of living as we enter 2023.  

Everyone loves to play The Oracle, especially in these times of uncertainty and unpredictability. So, what do over 9,000 Southeast Asians across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam feel about what’s coming in 2023?