Singapore shares end the week weaker; STI down 0.2%

SINGAPORE shares fell on Friday, in line with most regional markets, where investor sentiment remained muted following US tech earnings overnight.

The benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) fell 0.2 per cent or 5.65 points on Friday to close at 3,198.17. For the week, the barometer was also down 0.2 per cent from last Friday's close of 3,205.14.

Sembcorp Industries emerged as the top decliner for the day, falling 1.5 per cent to close at S$2.01. The three local banks, DBS, OCBC and UOB were also among the decliners, with their shares falling by between 0.2 and 0.5 per cent.

Several Jardine entities were among the top gainers for the day, including Dairy Farm International and Hongkong Land, both of which saw their shares climb 1.1 per cent. Jardine Matheson finished at the top of the STI performance table, with its shares 1.7-per-cent climb to close at US$57.93.

Across the broader market, losers outnumbered gainers 243 to 228; 2.9 billion securities worth S$1.3 billion changed hands.

Units of Keppel Reit were among the top 5 most actively traded in terms of value. The counter climbed 2.7 per cent to close at S$1.13, with 55.3 million units worth S$62.8 million having changed hands.

Elsewhere in the region, markets mostly ended the day lower, with sentiment weaker following earnings from US tech giants Apple and Amazon that missed expectations.

IG market strategist Yeap Jun Rong said: "With the revenue miss from Apple, attention may also be on its suppliers in the region, where some weakness may be expected."

Major indices in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia and South Korea fell between 0.3 and 1.4 per cent on Friday. However, the Nikkei 225 and Shanghai Composite Index bucked the trend, climbing 0.3 and 0.8 per cent, respectively.