Singapore equities started Friday on a softer note, with the Straits Times Index (STI) easing 7.28 points, or 0.14%, to 5,209.87 as at 9.08am despite market breadth remaining marginally positive.
Early trading saw 67.55 million shares worth S$201.54 million change hands. Advancers outpaced decliners 85 to 72, suggesting selective buying interest across the broader market.
Among the STI constituents, Singtel emerged as one of the early laggards, falling 0.67% to S$4.43.
Banking stocks traded mixed in early dealings. DBS stood at S$66.32, OCBC Bank was at S$25.12 while UOB changed hands at S$40.03.
Elsewhere, Sembcorp Industries traded at S$5.99, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding was at S$3.47 and SGX was quoted at S$23.98.
In the derivatives market, trading volume reached 18,070 contracts in the early session.
The SGX MSCI Singapore Index Futures for July traded at 489.05, while Nikkei 225 Index Futures for September stood at 68,275. FTSE China A50 Index Futures for July were quoted at 14,689.
In the foreign exchange derivatives market, USD/SGD Futures for July were at 1.2934, while USD/CNH Futures for September traded at 6.7550.
Investors are expected to keep a close watch on regional market performance and macroeconomic developments following a mixed overnight session on Wall Street, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at a record high while technology shares weighed on the Nasdaq.
