STI down 9.41 points on weak China data

THERE was no change on Thursday to the pattern of trading established over the previous three sessions here this week - prices drifted for most of the day as traders ignored yet another all-time high on Wall Street, with the Straits Times Index (STI) shifting uneasily within a tight band before finishing at 3,220.95 for a net loss of 9.41 points, and a general air of lethargy shrouding the entire day's action.

This time, China's slowdown was cited as a possible reason after the release of economic figures in that country, such as the weakest factory output in nine months and a disappointing retail sales report.

As a result, the Hang Seng Index finished 0.4 per cent down, while the China Enterprises Index fell 0.8 per cent. The Dow futures, in the meantime, traded slightly in the red.