Singapore stocks end flattish amid mixed regional showing; STI up 0.02%

[SINGAPORE] Singapore stocks were flattish on Thursday (May 21) amid a mixed performance in regional markets.

The benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) gained 0.02 per cent or 0.8 point to finish at 5,045.71.

Venture Corporation led the gainers on Singapore’s blue-chip index, rising 2.5 per cent or S$0.43 to end at S$17.65.

The worst performer among STI constituents was Singtel , which fell 6.4 per cent or S$0.32 to close at S$4.70.

The telco earlier on Thursday posted a net profit of S$2.2 billion for the six months ended Mar 31, down 20.9 per cent from the year-ago period.

The three local banks ended Thursday higher. DBS gained 0.7 per cent or S$0.45 to S$61.75, OCBC rose 0.4 per cent or S$0.09 to S$23.33, and UOB was up 0.3 per cent or S$0.10 at S$37.69.

Across the broader market, gainers outnumbered losers 315 to 285, after 1.8 billion securities worth S$2.6 billion changed hands.

Within the iEdge Singapore Next 50 Index, UltraGreen.AI was the top gainer, rising 8.3 per cent or US$0.10 to US$1.30.

First Resources was the index’s biggest decliner, falling 5.6 per cent or S$0.17 to end the session at S$2.86.

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Key regional indices were mixed.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 3.1 per cent, and South Korea’s Kospi was up 8.4 per cent. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index lost 1 per cent, and the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI declined 0.5 per cent.