Trading for first half-year draws to cautious close

IN WHAT was the last session of the first half of 2019, the local market traded within range as investors stayed cautious and turned to profit-taking ahead of the G-20 summit talks between the US and China.

The Straits Times Index (STI) closed at 3,321.61, down 6.99 points or 0.2 per cent on Friday, barely budging from the previous week's closing of 3,321.4.

The Saturday meeting in Osaka is the key focus for investors this weekend. Even though recent news reports suggest that Washington and Beijing have worked out a temporary truce, there is no certainty of outcome, especially when it comes to US President Donald Trump.