STI up 0.31%; regional indices close mixed

THE Singapore market saw some gains on Friday (Apr 1) amid a mixed showing in regional markets.

Its benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) climbed 0.3 per cent or 10.59 points to 3,419.11. Gainers trailed losers 219 to 239 in the broader market, with 1.28 billion shares worth S$1.25 billion changing hands.

Elsewhere in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 was down 0.56 per cent while Korea's benchmark Kospi closed 0.7 per cent lower.

Hong Kong stocks closed slightly higher despite spending most of the session in negative territory, with the Hang Seng Index up 0.2 per cent. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index ended 1 per cent higher while the Jakarta Composite Index edged up 0.1 per cent.

IG market strategist Yeap Jun Rong expects swings in sentiment to persist as markets respond to changing dynamics of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The catalyst for some investors' risk-off approach may come from Russia's latest threat to cut off its gas supplies to Europe, in response to sanctions on Moscow, Yeap said.

In Singapore, Sembcorp Marine was the most actively traded counter on Friday, with 95.8 million shares worth S$9.18 million changing hands. This comes after the group gave notice that it had logged 3 consecutive years of pre-tax losses. The counter closed 2.04 per cent or S$0.002 lower, at S$0.096.

Among STI constituents, Dairy Farm International was the biggest gainer. It closed 5 per cent or US$0.14 higher at US$2.96. At the bottom of the table was SATS, which shed 1.2 per cent or S$0.05 to close at S$4.29.

The 3 local banks ended mixed. DBS fell 0.8 per cent or S$0.28 to close at S$35.55, UOB ended 0.2 per cent or S$0.06 lower at S$31.96, while OCBC closed at S$12.40, edging up 0.16 per cent or S$0.02.