STI ends down 16.75 points or 0.64 per cent to 2,597.85

THE Straits Times Index (STI) closed down 16.75 points or 0.64 per cent at 2,597.85 on Monday, snapping two days of consecutive gains as traders readied for a week of sense-checking as Singapore corporates head into the first-quarter earnings season, led by the Reits.

About 1.18 billion securities worth S$1.09 billion changed hands. Losers outnumbered gainers 223 to 211.

Biolidics was the most active counter, rising 6.5 Singapore cents or 20.64 per cent to S$0.38 on volume of 61.1 million. The Singapore-based cancer-diagnostics company said on Monday morning that it can now distribute, market and sell its Covid-19 rapid test kits in the US. 

The top loser was Jardine Matheson, which fell US$2.19 or 4.08 per cent to US$51.48. The top gainer was UOI, which rose S$0.26 or 4.06 per cent to S$6.67.

Regional markets were mixed. The Hang Seng fell 0.21 per cent, the KLSE rose 0.41 per cent, the Nikkei fell 1.15 per cent and the Shanghai Composite rose 0.50 per cent.