STI ends lower after bright start

IT WAS a mixed start to the week in Asia as Japan and South Korea posted strong gains, while Hong Kong and China edged lower on growth fears and profit-taking.

In Singapore, the Straits Times Index (STI) started the week brightly, taking cues from the positive session on Wall Street last Friday.

However, the benchmark index, which traded as high as 3,339 in the first hour, eased as the session went on, closing at 3,325.86, 6.12 points or 0.2 per cent lower.

Market watchers said that investors were closing positions on blue chips and large ca…