(RTTNews) – Singapore’s stock market snapped a two-day winning streak on Friday in which it had rallied more than 30 points or 1 percent. The Straits Times Index is now just above the 3,300-point plateau, although it is likely to rally again on Monday.
The overall forecast for Asian markets is optimistic for economic growth and reduced inflation. European and US markets rose strongly on Friday and Asian stocks tended to open similarly.
The STI ended slightly lower on Friday following losses in financial stocks, real estate stocks and industrial woes.
During the day, the index fell 32.69 points or 0.99 percent to end at 3,269.27 after trading between 3,266.17 and 3,289.50. Volume was 1.46 billion shares worth 1.1 billion Singapore dollars. There were 271 declines and 220 winners.
Among assets, CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust added 0.47 percent, while CapitaLand Investment fell 1.28 percent, City Developments rose 1.21 percent, DBS Group fell 0.36 percent cent, Genting Singapore fell 1.20 percent, Hong Kong Land fell 1.78 percent, Keppelre43 percent, Maple Corp. Pan Asia Commercial Trust slipped 0.52 percent, Mapletree Industrial Trust lost 0.37 percent, Mapletree Logistics Trust retreated 1.11 percent, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation shed 0.08 percent , SATS fell 0.98 percent, the Singapore Stock Exchange fell 0.51 percent, Singapore Technologies Engineering fell 0.25 percent. Beverages fell 3.68 percent, United Overseas Bank fell 0.33 percent, Wilmar International sank 0.48 percent, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding fell 1.54 percent and Yangzijiang Financial, Ascendas REIT, SembCorp Industries, SingTel and Comfort DelGro were unchanged.
The upside for Wall Street is broadly positive as the major averages opened higher on Friday and accelerated as the session wore on, finishing near daily highs.
The Dow rose 424/35 points or 1.27 percent to end at 33,761.05, while the NASDAQ soared 267.29 points or 2.09 percent to end at 13,047.19 and the S&P 500 rose 72.88 points or 1.74.28 percent to close at 1.74.28 percent.
For the week, the S&P 500 soared 3.3 percent for its fourth straight weekly gain, while the NASDAQ rose 3.1 percent and the Dow gained 2.9 percent.
Optimism that inflation has peaked has contributed to continued strength on Wall Street after weaker-than-expected readings on consumer and producer prices last week.
Adding to the positive sentiment on inflation, the Labor Department said US import prices fell more than expected in July. Buying interest was also fueled by a report from the University of Michigan showing that US consumer sentiment improved much more than expected in August.
Crude oil prices fell sharply on Friday after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) lowered its forecast for oil demand for 2022. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures for September ended lower by 2 $.25 or 2.4 percent to $92.09 a barrel. For the week, the WIT rose 3.5 percent.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
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