STI up 1.27% despite retightening of Covid-19 measures

SINGAPORE shares rose on Monday even as tightened Covid-19 measures took effect the same day in a bid to keep the number of daily infections under control.

The local blue chip benchmark *STI : *STI 0% ended Monday up 1.27 per cent or 38.95 points at 3,100.30.

Across the broader market, gainers outpaced losers 262 to 213, with 1.31 billion securities worth S$1.24 billion changing hands.

IG market strategist Yeap Jun Rong said that while the manufacturing sector may remain resilient as seen from previous phases of restrictions, the services sector may come under pressure with the current Covid-19 restrictions implemented.

"That said, previous business adjustments and softer tightening compared to past restriction phases may aid to reduce some impact," he added.

Among the Straits Times Index's (STI) constituents, CapitaLand Investment 9CI : 9CI 0% emerged as the top performer for the day, with shares gaining 7 per cent or S$0.23 to S$3.53.

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The trio of local banks were also among top-performing counters, following an announcement by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and Bank Negara Malaysia that plans are underway to start a phased linkage of Singapore's PayNow and Malaysia's DuitNow real-time payment systems.

DBS D05 was up 2.2 per cent or S$0.65 to S$30; OCBC O39 gained 2.1 per cent or S$0.24 to S$11.62 while UOB U11 : U11 0% rose 1.5 per cent or S$0.38 to S$25.78.

At the bottom of the table was ComfortDelGro C52 : C52 0% which fell 2.6 per cent or S$0.04 to S$1.52.

Yangzijiang Shipbuilding BS6 : BS6 0% was the most active counter on the blue-chip index with over 37 million shares changing hands. Its shares ended Monday down 2.1 per cent or S$0.03 to S$1.40.

Elsewhere in Asia, it was a mixed bag. Japan's Nikkei 225 was down 0.03 per cent while the Jakarta Composite Index dipped 0.36 per cent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gained 0.07 per cent; South Korea's Kospi rose 0.27 per cent and the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index ended 0.06 per cent higher.