Banking trio ends lower, weighing on STI

[SINGAPORE] Singapore shares finished mixed on Monday (Jan 26), with the Straits Times Index (STI) falling as the iEdge Singapore Next 50 Index rose.

The STI was down 0.6 per cent or 30.52 points at 4,860.93, amid a slide in all three banking stocks on the blue-chip barometer.

UOB , which enjoyed a rally late last week, saw a reversal on Monday, leading the decliners on the STI. The lender’s shares closed 2.5 per cent or S$1 lower at S$38.50.

The other two banks also finished in negative territory. OCBC dropped 1.2 per cent or S$0.25 to S$21.04, and DBS slid 0.6 per cent or S$0.36 to S$58.29.

Across the broader market, decliners outnumbered gainers 310 to 259 after 1.6 billion securities worth S$1.7 billion changed hands.

The iEdge Singapore Next 50 Index – which tracks the performance of the 50 largest companies listed on the mainboard after the STI stocks – rose 0.6 per cent or 8.43 points to 1,496.17.

The index’s top performer was Food Empire , which gained 3.2 per cent or S$0.09 to S$2.86, achieving a 52-week high.

Meanwhile, pawnbrokers and gold-themed stocks climbed as they rode the rally in the precious metal, which powered past US$5,000 an ounce on Monday.

Private banking and asset management group LGT said gold’s surge to a new record underscored a cautious start to the week, with safe-haven demand supported by geopolitical tensions, a weaker US dollar and lingering doubts over US policy.

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It added that investors looked ahead to the US Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision this week.

Vishnu Varathan, head of macro research for Asia ex-Japan at Mizuho Securities in Singapore, forecast that the Fed is likely to maintain policy rates.