Hopes up as earnings season begins

Singapore

JUST as traders toasted the gains of 2017 a month back, the market could be looking at another annus mirabilisthis year.

Earnings season is upon us, which often offers watchers a referendum on the health of a stock.

And if the news is especially rosy, company financials could be a shot in the arm for the local bourse.

The benchmark Straits Times Index has largely been coasting along at decade-high levels for a week now.

Eli Lee, head of strategy for the Bank of Singapore, told The Business Times: "Notwithstanding an 18 per cent rally last year, valuations in the Singapore equities market remain undemanding.

"We anticipate gains from Singapore equities again this year as the economy benefits from an ongoing synchronised pick-up i…