Singapore shares fall despite economic contraction easing

UNCERTAINTIES surrounding the coronavirus vaccine and stimulus talks in the United States weighed on regional markets, including the Straits Times Index (STI), which declined 12.06 points or 0.47 per cent to 2,555.59 on Wednesday.

The index's decline came despite the third-quarter ease in economic contraction, shown by data released on Wednesday.

Pandemic beneficiary Medtecs's stellar financial results and stalled coronavirus vaccine trials appeared to have buoyed investor sentiment in other medical suppliers. The shares of Malaysian companies Top Glove and Riverstone rose 3.02 per cent and 3.41 per cent respectively to S$3.07 and S$3.94, making them among the better performers on Wednesday.