Singapore shares open 0.3% down on Monday

SINGAPORE stocks opened 0.3 per cent lower on Monday, with the Straits Times Index shedding 7.26 points to 2,867.98 as at 9.02am.

The blue-chip index retreated ahead of the second United States presidential debate and as expectations held steady for a Federal Reserve rate hike.

About 108.4 million shares worth S$44 million in total changed hands in the first couple of minutes after the opening bell, which worked out to an average unit price of S$0.41 per share.

The most actively traded counter was Cedar Strategic, which rose S$0.001 to S$0.003 with 72.5 million shares changing hands. Other actives included Noble Group and SunMoon Food.

Losers outnumbered gainers 58 to 51, or about eight down for every seven up.