Singapore shares opened weaker, tracking a negative Wall Street session as renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East overshadowed upbeat corporate earnings and resilient US economic data.
The Straits Times Index (STI) slipped 7.43 points or 0.15% to 5,007.53 as at 9.07am, reflecting cautious risk sentiment across regional markets.
Broader market breadth was slightly mixed at the open, with 104 gainers versus 90 decliners, while total volume stood at 147.12 million shares worth S$162.17 million.
Sentiment was weighed by US equities, which closed lower overnight after early gains faded as concerns over the US-Iran conflict resurfaced and overshadowed optimism from corporate earnings and artificial intelligence-driven growth.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.59%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both declined 0.63% and 0.59% respectively.
Markets had initially been supported by strong earnings momentum and expectations of solid economic growth, but sentiment reversed in late trading as geopolitical uncertainty intensified.
In the derivatives market, SGX FTSE Taiwan Index Futures for April 2026 traded at 3,136, while Nikkei 225 Index Futures for June 2026 stood at 59,550. MSCI Singapore Index Futures were at 449.25.
Global risk sentiment was also shaped by mixed US economic signals, including stronger-than-expected retail sales data, which rose 1.7% in March, the largest increase in a year, driven by higher fuel prices and service station spending.
Despite the broader weakness in equities, energy stocks in the US were the only major sector to post gains overnight, supported by rising oil prices amid geopolitical concerns.
Market participants also monitored corporate developments, including a sharp gain in UnitedHealth Group after it raised its full-year profit outlook, while Apple declined following leadership transition news involving its chief executive succession plan.
