SINGAPORE shares opened slightly higher on Monday (Dec 16), in line with the narrow ranges that Asian equities traded ahead of a swath of Chinese data.
As at 9.03 am, the Straits Times Index (STI) edged up 4.9 points or 0.1 per cent to 3,815.25. Across the broader market, gainers outnumbered losers 68 to 61 after 71.4 million securities worth S$62.9 million changed hands.
Genting Singapore was among the most heavily traded stocks, rising S$0.005 or 0.7 per cent to S$0.775 with nearly 3.4 million shares transacted.
Another counter that was actively traded was Singtel, with about 2.3 million shares changing hands. It fell S$0.02 or 0.6 per cent to S$3.12.
The three local banks opened mixed on Monday. DBS advanced S$0.18 or 0.4 per cent to S$43.92, and OCBC rose S$0.11 or 0.7 per cent to S$16.87. UOB was the only decliner, shedding S$0.19 or 0.5 per cent to S$37.16.
Across Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 was 0.4 per cent higher at 39,623.95 as at 9.06 am, while the broader Topix index edged less than 0.1 per cent up. Australia’s ASX 200 lost 0.3 per cent by midday local time.
BT in your inbox
Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.
On Friday, Wall Street equities closed out the trading week near the unchanged mark in a subdued session, with the S&P 500 and Dow posting weekly declines, while the Nasdaq secured its fourth consecutive week of gains.
The S&P 500 lost 0.16 point to end flat at 6,051.09, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 23.88 points or 0.1 per cent to 19,926.72. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 86.06 points or 0.2 per cent to 43,828.06.
In Europe, the main benchmark logged its first weekly decline in three, as investors sought clarity on the pace of monetary easing in the eurozone next year amid concerns over slowing economic growth and a potential trade war.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 index lost 2.75 points or 0.5 per cent to end at 516.45 – hitting its lowest in a more than a week.
