STI gains 9.2% in March

The Straits Times Index continues to recover.

The Straits Times Index (STI) gained 9.2% as of 15 March, according to latest data from the Singapore Exchange.

The index, which tracks the top 30 companies traded in the exchange, falls within 20% of the record high of May 2018, and would have to decline by 20% to return to the late October 2020 record low.

"The STI stocks in the 2021 year to 15 March recipient to the highest net retail outflows, proportionate to current market capitalisation, were Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Holdings, SATS, DBS Group Holdings, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation, and Singapore Airlines. Together these five stocks have averaged a 20.4% price gain in the 2021 year to 15 March, and three of the five, namely Singapore Airlines, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Holdings and SATS, were among the STI stocks that saw the highest net retail inflows, proportionate to current market capitalisation during 2020," the Singapore Exchange said in a statement.

The Singapore Exchange added that Mapletree Industrial Trust, City Developments, Keppel DC REIT, Venture Corporation, and ComfortDelGro were the highest recipient of net retail inflows.

On the other hand, retail investors have been the net sellers of STI stocks until 15 March, with more than $1b of net outflows.

The top five strongest stocks in the STI as of 15 March are Jardine Strategic Holdings, Singapore Airlines, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding HOldings, HongkongLand, and Jardine Matheson Holdings. Jardine has announced plans to simplify its groups' parent company structure.