The Singapore stock market on Friday ended the two-day winning streak in which it had gathered almost 30 points or 0.9 percent. The Straits Times Index now sits just beneath the 3,125-point plateau although it may bounce higher again on Monday.
The global forecast for the Asian markets remains upbeat on optimism over the outlook for interest rates. The European and U.S. markets were up and the Asian bourses are tipped to open in similar fashion.
The STI finished modestly lower on Friday following losses from the properties, gains from the industrials and a mixed picture from the financials.
For the day, the index sank 8.38 points or 0.27 percent to finish at 3,124.67 after trading between 3,110.36 and 3,128.52, RTTNews cited.
Among the actives, Ascendas REIT strengthened 1.45 percent, while CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust tumbled 1.06 percent, CapitaLand Investment skidded 0.64 percent, City Developments plunged 1.90 percent, DBS Group collected 0.15 percent, Emperador retreated 0.98 percent, Genting Singapore and Keppel DC REIT both dropped 0.53 percent, Hongkong Land plummeted 2.66 percent, Keppel Corp climbed 1.25 percent, Mapletree Industrial Trust gathered 0.44 percent, Mapletree Logistics Trust gained 0.64 percent, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation eased 0.08 percent, SATS slumped 0.73 percent, Seatrium Limited declined 0.93 percent, SembCorp Industries rose 0.59 percent, Singapore Technologies Engineering jumped 1.57 percent, SingTel was up 0.09 percent, Thai Beverage advanced 0.96 percent, Wilmar International perked 0.27 percent, Yangzijiang Financial rallied 1.56 percent, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding added 0.69 percent and Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust and Comfort DelGro were unchanged.
The lead from Wall Street is cautiously optimistic as the major averages opened lower on Friday but broke into the green by midday and finished with mild gains.
