TOKYO/SINGAPORE -- Singapore has launched an initiative to boost the stock market and give it a role commensurate with the city-state's status as a global financial center.

Singapore’s stock market is often perceived as “safe and vanilla,” led by banks and real estate investment trusts, and lagging in growth companies, according to analysts. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Akira Kodaka and Suzu Takahashi)
Experts call for stronger regulatory enforcement, investor protections