Daily Markets Briefing: STI down 0.48%

Gains from Wall Street could lift local sentiment.

The Straits Times Index (STI) ended 15.98 points or 0.48% lower to 3278.95, taking the year-to-date performance to +13.82%.

The top active stocks today were DBS, which declined 1.88%, Singtel, which closed unchanged, OCBC Bank, which declined 0.18%, UOB, which declined 0.96% and YZJ Shipbldg SGD, with a 2.24% advance.

The FTSE ST Mid Cap Index declined 0.21%, while the FTSE ST Small Cap Index declined 0.48%.

OCBC Investment Research said US stocks closed moderately higher Wednesday, restoring the Dow above the psychologically-important 22,000 mark, after Federal Reserve minutes suggested that the central bank is wrestling with sluggish inflation but eager to commence an unwind of its $4.5 trillion asset portfolio.

Nine out of eleven S&P 500 industries ended higher, led by Materials (0.92%) and Consumer Discretionary (0.45%) while Energy (-1.13%) and Financials (-0.24%) lost ground.

"The gains on Wall Street overnight could provide a lift to the local sentiment this morning," OCBC said.