Directors' buy-sell ratio at 4:1, HRnetGroup attracts big cornerstones

THE five sessions spanning June 16 to June 22 saw the STI decline 0.5 per cent, which brought its dividend-inclusive return for the 2017 year to date to 13.4 per cent.

On June 16, homegrown HRnetGroup listed on the SGX Mainboard. HRnetGroup is the largest Asia-based recruitment agency in Asia-Pacific ex-Japan, and the stock has a market capitalisation of S$900 million. Its cornerstone investors include Aberdeen Asset Management, Affin Hwang Asset Management, FIL Investment Management (Hong Kong) and Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co.

Seven stocks conducted share buybacks over the five sessions with a total consideration of S$11.0 million, down 8 per cent from the preceding five sessions. Again, OCBC contributed most to the buybacks, with another one million shares purchased at an average price of S$10.62, down from the previous week's average purchase price of S$10.69. Buyback activity is expected to decline in the coming weeks, ahead of June quarter earnings reports and the necessary blackout periods for companies buying back their own shares.