Asian markets end Tuesday in the red; STI down 0.5%

[SINGAPORE] Local shares ended Tuesday (Nov 4) lower, tracking a broader decline across regional markets.

The benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) fell 0.5 per cent or 21.61 points to close at 4,422.72. Meanwhile, the iEdge Singapore Next 50 Index gained 0.8 per cent or 11.63 points to 1,460.2.

Sembcorp Industries was the index’s biggest decliner, falling 3.3 per cent or S$0.22 to S$6.36.

Jardine Matheson Holdings remained the top blue-chip gainer for a second day running, rising 2.2 per cent or US$1.35 to US$62.10.

The three local banks ended mixed. UOB was up 0.2 per cent or S$0.07 at S$34.92. However, OCBC fell 0.2 per cent or S$0.04 to S$17.03 and DBS slipped 0.5 per cent or S$0.29 to finish at S$53.50.

CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust was the most actively traded counter on the STI by volume, with 42.4 million units worth S$98.9 million traded. The counter fell 0.9 per cent or S$0.02 to S$2.33.

Across the broader market, decliners doubled advancers 416 to 208, after 1.8 billion securities worth S$1.8 billion changed hands.

China Aviation Oil ended lower, after surging as much as 4.5 per cent earlier in the day, on the back of media reports that the company’s controlling shareholder, China National Aviation Fuel and Sinopec, China’s largest oil refiner, are considering a merger.

The counter fell 1.3 per cent or S$0.02 to close at S$1.50.

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DBS analyst Jason Sum said that the merger would support a re-rating of the counter, driven by higher earnings visibility and robust capital management catalysts.

Key indices in the region closed lower. Australia’s ASX 200 fell 0.9 per cent, while Japan’s Nikkei slipped 1.7 per cent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was down 0.8 per cent while South Korea’s Kospi fell 2.4 per cent after hitting a record high the day before.