Singapore shares open 0.8% lower on Friday in line with regional markets

SINGAPORE stocks opened lower on Friday following softness in other regional markets.

The Straits Times Index slipped 0.79 per cent, or 22.96 points, to 2,896.87 at 9.18am.

About 83.3 million shares worth S$92.9 million had traded at that point.

Losers outnumbered gainers 114 to 46, or about five stocks down for every two up.

Shipping group Neptune Orient Lines led the top actives, slipping 5.8 per cent or 6.5 Singapore cents to S$1.065 on 15.2 million traded shares.

United Overseas Bank eased 1.1 per cent or 22 Singapore cents to S$19.80 to lead the index stocks lower.