IT used to be that the sun never set on the British empire. These days, though, it is a British exit from the European Union (EU) that appears to be keeping market players up all night. (The Sun, incidentally, is in the "leave" camp.)

Singapore stocks dived on Thursday along with other major equity markets in Asia as the possibility of a Brexit storm darkened the horizon and the results of policy meetings at two major central banks spread a fresh cloud of gloom over the global economic outlook.

The benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) finished 0.8 per cent lower, falling 22.69 points to 2,751.56 in a session where blue chips were in unfavourable focus. About 890.1 million shares worth S$964.4 million in total changed hands, which worked out to an average unit price of S$1.08 per share.