Market Update: Singapore shares back in the red

The Straits Times Index fell on Thursday's trade, by about 38.33 points or 1.3% to end the day at 2,920.30.

Major Asian stocks were among those landing in negative territory as the International Monetary Fund and the Federal Reserve caused risk-off sentiment among investors.

About 3.31-billion securities worth S$1.47-billion changed hands, with decliners outnumbering advancers, 380 to 137.

The worst performers were SembCorp Industries with 3.49% or a S$0.06 decline, YZJ Shipbuilding, which slumped by 2.91% or S$0.03, and Mapletree Logistics Trustvwhich went lower by S$0.05 or 2.49%.

On Wall Street, US stocks were mostly green after the fourth quarter GDP results were released. The US economy expanded at 4.0%, lower than the 4.2% that had analysts had predicted.

Still, the S&P 500 rose at about 0.98% or 36.61 points to 3,787.38. The NASDAQ was up by 0.50% or 66.55 points to 13,337.16, while the Dow Jones Industrial climbed by 300.19 points or 0.99% to 30,603.36.

London's blue-chip index fell to its one-month low, dragged by the energy stocks and lockdown-led jitters.

The FTSE 100 slumped by about 0.63% or 41.22 points at 6,526.15 while FTSE 250 went higher by 0.44% or 89.90 points at 20,368.25.