If so, how?
Thanks!
Sure. I did a search on “Singapore index fund” and found EWS. I’m sure you can find some way to invest in individual companies, too, if that’s what you want.
Why do you want to invest in the Singapore stock market?
Depending on your broker, you might be able to purchase ADRs (American Depository Receipts) which are linked to a non-US stock.
If you wish to directly own stock in a Singapore-listed company, you will need to open an account with the Central Depository (CDP) of the Singapore Exchange. What you buy/sell will be credited into/debited from your CDP account. Of course, you will also need to create a trading account with a brokerage that the CDP recognizes. More information found here.
Does it cost much? (I’m not interested in the Singapore, but in the Brazilian stock market). Does going trough a local branch of a foreign (Singapore/Brazil) bank make things simpler?
There are a lot of foreign stocks that sell on the US exchanges, such as SINA and BIDU in China and hundreds of others around the world, but perhaps I’m not understanding the question.
I don’t think you have to pay an annual fee for Singapore; the CDP charges transaction fees. I’m not sure how it works for the Brazilian market, but it sure wouldn’t hurt to ask.
If you are thinking of talking to a foreign bank (like a Singapore/Brazilian bank), I think what’s important is to make sure that the bank provides brokerage services; not all banks do. Some international banks also provide local brokerage services, e.g. Standard Chartered Bank. I find that international stock investing can get pretty complicated for retail investors partly because of tax and bureaucratic issues.
Any US citizens in Singapore should email John Beverley. He works for Globaleye and is the only broker I know who accepts US investors.
I believe the Stock Exchange of Thailand has been the best performer in the region this year. Maybe for a couple of years. And they accept all sorts of foreign investors. The OP might consider them.