CATALIST-LISTED companies in Singapore are underperforming as poor liquidity coupled with economic swings weigh on investor sentiment.

In the year to Nov 24, the FTSE ST Catalist Index has fallen 19.3 per cent. In comparison, the FTSE ST All-share Index has dropped 5.3 per cent while the benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) has dipped 4.8 per cent.

RHB Singapore senior research analyst Alfie Yeo said the Catalist companies he has reviewed are collectively expected to turn in net losses. “While both (STI and Catalist) companies are expected to grow in revenue, we believe the larger-market capitalisation STI companies have better economies of scale,” he said.