Straits Times Index posts 9.4% in total returns for 2019: SGX

Singapore

THE Straits Times Index (STI) ended 2019 at 3,222.8, generating a 9.4 per cent total return, up 5 per cent from 2018's close of 3,068.8, thanks to a boost from reinvestment of dividends, according to a report by the Singapore Exchange (SGX) on Thursday.

Last year, Mapletree Commercial Trust and Mapletree Logistics Trust joined the STI in September and December respectively. Had the two Reits (real estate investment trusts) been included from the start of 2019, the STI would have yielded higher total returns of 11 per cent, based on their index weighting an average total returns of 49 per cent, noted the Singapore bourse.

The 2019 total returns is in line with the STI's 10-year average annualised total returns of 9.2 per cent.

It also outperformed regional benchmarks FTSE Asean 40 Index and the FTSE Asean All Share Index, whose total returns were 7.3 per cent and 7.6 per cent respectively.

Some 19 out of 30 of the current STI constituents outpaced the 9.4 per cent index return, with Thai Beverage emerging as the top performer of the year with 46 per cent gains and 49 per cent total return.

The current 30 STI constituents generated a total of S$1.2 billion in institutional inflow for 2019. This was led by Singtel, SGX, Wilmar International, CapitaLand and Thai Beverage, accounting for a 31.9 per cent average total return, or more than thrice that of the STI's total return.

Taking into account the 2019 year end market capitalisation in proportion to net institutional inflows, the top performers are SGX, UOL Group, ComfortDelGro Corp, City Developments and ST Engineering.

These five stocks nearly tripled the STI's total return, with an average 27.3 per cent total return.