FTSE STI closed 3,188.62, up 16.45 points or +0.52% with a total volume of 2.16b and a total value of S$1.25b. Total number of advance vs decline was 226 vs 158. Of the 30 component index stocks, 17 closed positive, 7 unchanged and 6 in the red. The top 5 gainer component stocks were :-
1. JSH 500US$ +1.080
2. Jardine C&C +0.630
3. UOB +0.300
4. DBS +0.090
5. CityDev +0.080
The top 5 loser component stocks were :-
1. Noble Grp -0.025
2. JMH 400US$ -0.020
3. HKLand US$ -0.020
4. HPH Trust US$ -0.005
5. GoldenAgr -0.005
5. CapitaMall -0.005
US markets closed positive last Friday but Asian bourses were mixed for the last day of 1Q. Nikkei +0.90%, SSE -0.41% and HSI +0.39%. STI continued to move up with another +0.52% closing in moderate volume and value. 17 of the 30 index stocks posted gain.
Not much of events happened over the weekend but this week will be eventful though. Japan released of its Industrial Output data today tumbled 2.3% in February from a month earlier and tomorrow China will release its official PMI data. Central Banks action will also be closely watch this week. Thereafter, investors should be focusing on earning season.
For STI, there wasn't much firework for 1Q window dressing as mostly was done last Friday. As such, despite STI was up, most of the stocks were seeing selling as punters and traders who bought up hoping for a window dressing rally today were mostly disappointed and squaring off position. The event for the moment is not window dressing but rather positioning for coming earning season and this is the one that many should focus on. Do some homework reading up past quarters of the companies' earning and select the good one for it. Do not play on hope !
