STI closes 0.4% lower despite new Covid-19 support measures

THE benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) ended Monday down 9.77 points or 0.4 per cent at 2,571.55, even after the Singapore government unveiled additional support measures totalling S$8 billion to tide workers and businesses over the coronavirus pandemic.

The best performer among the index constituents was Thai Beverage Public Company (ThaiBev), which gained 4.96 per cent for the day to close at S$0.635.

It was also the most heavily traded stock, with 470.2 million shares traded over the course of the day. This came after the beverage giant posted resilient revenue and Ebitda despite the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, the STI's biggest decliner for the day was Genting Singapore, which lost 2.8 per cent or S$0.02 to close at S$0.70.

The trio of banks ended Monday mixed. Shares of DBS and OCBC Bank fell 0.3 per cent and 0.4 per cent to close at S$21 and S$8.91 respectively, while United Overseas Bank inched up 0.05 per cent to close at S$20.08.

Elsewhere in Asia, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI Index dipped 0.3 per cent or 3.85 points to close at 1,560.74, while Japan's Nikkei 225 lost 0.8 per cent or 192.61 points to close at 23,096.75. In contrast, the Hang Seng Composite Index gained 0.6 per cent to close at 3,837.51 points.