Singapore shares close down by 0.97% on Monday

TRADE wars and oil price jitters took their toll on Singapore equities on Monday, as the market returned from its Hari Raya Puasa weekend.

The Straits Times Index lost 32.69 points, or 0.97 per cent, to close at 3,324.04. Meanwhile, on the overall bourse, losers beat gainers 302 to 118 - about three down for every one up - as 898.5 million securities were traded to the tune of S$1.38 billion.

Chinese exchanges were shut for the Dragon Boat Festival, but Tokyo shed 0.75 per cent and Seoul closed lower by 1.16 per cent.

On Singapore's benchmark index, telco Singtel ended flat at S$3.19 on a volume of 26.2 million shares, with analysts reassured by management's showing at an investor day last week.

Separately, semiconductor equipment maker AEM Holdings lost S$0.17, or 14.53 per cent, to S$1, with 7.85 million shares changing hands.

UMS Holdings was lower by 4.5 Singapore cents, or 5.46 per cent, to S$0.78 on 7.03 million shares.