Your weekly Singapore round-up. Image: Little Big Red Dot.
It has been a noisy week in Singapore. COE prices smashed into fresh highs, Scoot announced two exciting new Indonesian routes, Budget 2026 S$1 billion startup boost officially kicked in, and the Lyrids meteor shower lit up our skies. Here is your Little Big Red Dot round-up of everything that matters for the week of 23 April 2026.
1. COE Prices Surge — Cat A Hits $123,010
The big story of the week: the second COE bidding exercise of April closed on Wednesday, 22 April 2026 with Cat A at $123,010, Cat B at $121,001, Cat C at $83,501, Cat D at $9,290 and Cat E at $125,002. Cat A jumped past Cat B for the second time this year — an unusual sign of just how red-hot the mass-market segment is running.
If you are planning to buy a car, we have a full breakdown, comparison against the previous round, and our view on the next bidding exercise (4–6 May 2026) over on our COE Results 22 April 2026 article.
2. Scoot Announces New Routes to Belitung and Pontianak
Budget carrier Scoot has unveiled two new Indonesian destinations: Belitung (from 3 May 2026, twice weekly) and Pontianak (from 29 June 2026, three times weekly). Introductory one-way fares start from S$99 to Belitung and S$129 to Pontianak, inclusive of taxes, and both routes will be operated by Scoot newer Embraer E190-E2 aircraft.
This brings Scoot network to 85 destinations across 18 countries and territories. Read our full Scoot Belitung and Pontianak launch article.
3. Budget 2026: S$1 Billion Startup Equity Boost Kicks In
From 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029, the Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) grant support level has been raised to up to 70% of eligible costs for local SMEs (up from 50%). This is part of the wider Singapore Budget 2026 package, which also included a S$1 billion injection into the Startup SG Equity scheme.
For founders, this is a meaningful improvement. The higher MRA cap effectively makes international expansion trips, trade missions, FTA consultancy and overseas marketing campaigns materially cheaper to run. Read our Budget 2026 SME and startup breakdown.
4. Lyrids Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight
The Lyrids meteor shower, one of the oldest recorded showers in human history, is streaking over Singapore until 26 April 2026. At peak you can expect around 10–20 meteors per hour under ideal conditions. Realistically, Singapore light pollution cuts that figure significantly, but it is still worth a late-night trip to a darker spot — Changi Beach Car Park 7, the northern end of Pulau Ubin, or the eastern tip of Punggol Promenade are all decent options.
5. McDonald Honey Mustard McCrispy Burger
From 23 April 2026, Macca is rolling out a new Honey Mustard McCrispy Burger, paired with pre-payday lunch deals from S$6.90 (valid 20–24 April 2026). Expect limited-time supplies, heavier crowds at lunch, and longer queues at McDelivery.
6. Krispy Kreme Spring Up Series
Krispy Kreme Singapore is launching a new Spring Up Series from 23 April to 17 May 2026, featuring four new doughnut creations: Banana Pudding, Hershey Double Chocolate, Strawberries and Kreme, and Blueberry Cheesecake. The Strawberries and Kreme is likely to be the crowd favourite based on past seasonal launches.
7. Royal Caribbean x Chan Brothers Roadshow @ Marina Square (23–26 April 2026)
If you have been flirting with the idea of a cruise, the Chan Brothers Worldwide Cruise Centre x Royal Caribbean roadshow is at Marina Square, Level 2 Central Court from 23 to 26 April 2026, 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Look out for onboard credit, sail-free kids promotions and exclusive roadshow-only upgrades.
8. Outdoor Venture Warehouse Sale (Up to 70% Off)
Camping gear, tents, hiking boots and outdoor apparel up to 70% off, 23–26 April 2026. A great chance to stock up before year-end travel plans.
9. SBI Singapore SGD Fixed Deposit Rates Up to 1.35% p.a.
SBI Singapore has bumped its promotional SGD time deposit rates to up to 1.35% p.a. from 20 April 2026 onwards. With local banks savings accounts stuck in the 0.5%–2.0% effective range for most balances, this is worth eyeballing — especially for emergency-fund cash that you do not need to access immediately.
10. Weekend Weather and Cultural Notes
Expect the usual April humidity with a chance of afternoon thunderstorms. If you are planning outdoor plans, load the NEA myENV app for live rain radar. Ramadan has finished and Hari Raya Puasa was celebrated earlier in the month. The next major public holiday is Labour Day on 1 May 2026 (Friday) — start planning your long weekend now.
Also on Our Radar
- Public Garden Market returns to Suntec 25–26 April — see our weekend guide.
- Van Gogh Inside 2026: Love, Vincent opens at Parkview Square from 25 April.
- Janice Wong 800kg chocolate tunnel continues at Paragon.
- Roald Dahl The BFG plays at Esplanade until 9 May 2026.
- Singapore F1 Grand Prix 2026 ticket sales have opened — expect price news to trend again soon.
Looking Ahead
Next week we will be watching: the run-up to the first COE bidding of May, Mothers Day promotions rolling out across Singapore restaurants, and an expected update to the Budget 2026 SkillsFuture details for mid-career workers.
Follow the What is Happening section for the full weekly round-up, or jump into our News section for Singapore most important stories as they break.
