Daily Markets Briefing: STI down 0.22%

Expect muted gains today.

The Straits Times Index (STI) ended 7.22 or 0.22% lower at 3,315.42.

The top active stocks were UOB, which dipped 0.075%, DBS, which slipped 0.59%, Singtel, which fell 0.97%, OCBC, which rose 0.085%, and YZJ Shipbuilding, which closed unchanged.

The FTSE Mid Cap Index grew 0.34% whilst the FTSE Small Cap Index inched up 0.09%. 

According to OCBC Investment Research,  U.S. stocks finished mostly higher Monday, with the S&P 500 rising for eighth session in a row, as investors geared up for a new earnings season.

Six out of eleven S&P 500 industries ended higher, led by Energy (0.49%) and Consumer Staples (0.43%) whilst Utilities (-0.73%) and Real Estate (-0.51%) led the losses.

"We think the local sentiment is likely to be soft today with a lack of strong indicators," OIR said.