STI steps up as Asia's strongest benchmark

It has generated a 5.6% gain in the year thus far.

Singapore stocks has reflected strong gains in January, generating a 5.6% gain in the year thus far, compared to an average 2.5% return for the Nikkei 225 and Hang Seng Index, and an average 1.0% return for the FTSE Malaysia KLCI, Stock Exchange of Thailand SET Index and the Jakarta Composite Index.

According to SGX MyGateway, the SPDR® Straits Times Index ETF was also the most active ETF in the fourth week with a turnover of $9.0m ETFs give investors access to the performance of the asset that comprises the underlying index. Investing in the ETF is also less costly if one was to build a similar portfolio by buying the individual stocks. The other STI tracking ETF listed for trading on Singapore Exchange (SGX) is the Nikko AM Singapore STI ETF.

"The five strongest STI stocks in the 2017 year through to the Lunar New Year Holiday were Global Logistic Properties, City Developments, Sembcorp Industries, CapitaLand and DBS Group Holdings. Last week, DBS Group Holdings and CapitaLand were the biggest institutional net buy stocks, while City Developments was the fifth biggest institutional net buy stock. Meanwhile, Global Logistic Properties was the biggest Institution net sell stock last week. These five stocks averaged a year-to-date total return of 12.9% and five-year total return of 27.9% (4.4% annualised)," SGX said.

It added, "The 30 STI constituents have averaged a 6.0% annualised total return over the past five years with Thai Beverage, SATS, ComfortDelGro Corp, CapitaLand Commercial Trust and UOL Group the strongest performers over the five-year period. These five stocks averaged annualised total returns of 18.7% over the past five years. The table below details the 30 constituents of the STI sort by market capitalisation. Click on each stock to visit its profile page on SGX StockFacts."