THE impact of geopolitics on market performance is at times understated - but its effect was clearly felt on Tuesday.

The Singapore market returned from the four-day weekend to an environment blighted by fears of a long-drawn trade war between the US and China; protests in Hong Kong; and to a lesser extent, Argentines turning on their incumbent president in a primary vote.

Sentiment on local equities were also weighed down by Singapore's non-oil domestic exports tumbling 14.6 per cent year-on-year, and a cut its gross domestic product (GDP) forecast to between zero growth and one per cent for the full year.