FTSE STI closed 3,172.44, down 25.52 points or -0.80% with a total volume of 1.13b and a total value of S$1.50b. Total number of advance vs decline was 202 vs 263. Of the 30 component index stocks, 7 closed positive, 19 closed negative and 4 remained unchanged. The top 5 gainer component stocks were :-
1. Olam +0.080
2. Genting SP +0.050
3. SembMar +0.030
4. Wilmar +0.020
5. SPH +0.020
The top 5 loser component stocks were :-
1. JMH 400US$ -0.460
2. UOB -0.280
3. HKLand US$ -0.260
4. CityDev -0.200
5. F&N -0.200
US markets continued to move up yesterday night and closed at least 1% after better than expected retail and home sales data coupling with ECB buying Portugal and Ireland government bonds to ease some worries over the eurozone issue. Asian bourses traded in positive region initially but closed mixed with Nikkei +0.10%, SSE -0.04% and HSI -0.55%. STI opened positive hit intra-day high of 3,216 but in the afternoon session profit taking causing it to close at day low of 3,172.44, down 0.80% with only 7 of the 30 component stocks managed to close positive. Investors were taking profit ahead of tonight US unemployment rate data and also there is lacking of catalysts for market to move up. Immediate support will be at 3,120 whereas resistance capped at 3,220.
