Daily Markets Briefing: STI up 0.31%

Don't expect any boost today.

The Straits Times Index (STI) ended 10.06 points or 0.31% higher to 3219.53 on Tuesday, taking the year-to-date performance to +11.76%.

The top active stocks yesterday were DBS, which closed unchanged, Singtel, which gained 0.26%, OCBC Bank, which gained 0.66%, UOB, which gained 0.04% and Genting Sing, with a 1.41% advance.

OCBC Investment Research said the U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday, with major indexes ending near session lows after Senate Republicans delayed a vote on health care legislation and as losses for technology shares deepened.

Meanwhile, ten out of eleven S&P 500 industries ended lower, led by Information Technology (-1.67%) and Telecommunication Services (-1.43%) while Financials (0.51%) gained.

"The weakness on Wall Street overnight is unlikely to bring any cheer to local sentiment this morning," the brokerage firm said.