Singapore shares continue upward trajectory amid mixed regional showing; STI up 0.2%

SINGAPORE – Shares on the Singapore bourse closed higher on Oct 6, continuing its record-breaking streak.

The benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) rose 0.2 per cent, or 9.76 points, to end at a new high of 4,421.71.

Mr Paul Chew, head of research at Phillip Securities, said that although the Singapore equity market has reached record highs recently, these gains must be taken into context. He said the market has gained 13 per cent over 17 years.

“We don’t think such gains suggest speculative excess,” he said, adding that he maintains a positive outlook for Singapore equities in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Mr Chew expects the Singapore equity market to undergo a meaningful re-rating of valuations.

The STI’s top gainer on Oct 6 was defence technology company ST Engineering, which rose 2.8 per cent, or 24 cents, to $8.94.

The biggest decliner was DFI Retail Group. The counter fell 2.4 per cent, or eight US cents, to US$3.30.

Casino operator Genting Singapore was the most actively traded counter by volume, with 63.7 million units worth $46.2 million traded. The counter fell 0.7 per cent to 72.5 cents.

The three local banks all ended the day higher. DBS Bank climbed 0.6 per cent, or 34 cents, to $53.20, UOB added 0.4 per cent, or 14 cents, to close at $35.39, and OCBC Bank rose 0.1 per cent, or one cent, to $16.84.

Across the broader market, decliners outnumbered advancers 326 to 240, after 1.4 billion securities worth $1.2 billion changed hands.

Elsewhere in the region, key indexes were mixed.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 4.8 per cent to close at a record high of 47,944.76 after hardliner Sanae Takaichi’s appointment as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party paved the way for her to become Japan’s next prime minister.

Malaysia’s KLCI gained 0.2 per cent, while Australia’s ASX 200 slipped 0.1 per cent.

THE BUSINESS TIMES