FTSE STI closed 3,531.61, down 8.34 points or -0.24% with a total volume of 2.58b and a total value of S$1.47b. Total number of advance vs decline was 266 vs 203. Of the 30 component index stocks, 14 closed positive, 4 unchanged and 12 in the red. The top 5 gainer component stocks were :-
1. JMH USD +0.240
2. UOB +0.090
3. Sembcorp +0.060
4. SembMar +0.060
5. DBS +0.050
The top 5 loser component stocks were :-
1. Jardine C&C -0.250
2. SGX -0.140
3. CityDev -0.100
4. SingTel -0.080
5. CapitaMall -0.050
US markets closed with a gain of average 0.5% yesterday and Asian bourses were mostly positive for the day with Nikkei +0.08%, SSE +2.71% at new 7-year high and HSI +0.44%. STI took a pause from past days of rally dipping 0.24% in thinner volume than yesterday and typical daily value with 14 of the 30 index stocks registered gain.
Positive corporate earning and rebound in crude oil price pushed US markets to close positive allowing Nasdaq to close above 5,000 level. Taking the lead from US markets, Asian markets mostly closed positive. ECB maintained its QE as status quo at yesterday meeting as it is awaiting to see the result of the QE did to the Eurozone economy.
STI fell 0.24% as investors temporary took profit for past days of rally and with bank stocks cushioning the drop. Blue chips and large cap stocks were mixed while traders and punters rotating among the penny and small cap stocks for quick profit.
