Singapore stocks slipped yesterday amid mixed trading across regional markets.
The benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) fell 0.1 per cent, or 3.28 points, to close at 3,201.86.
Elsewhere in the region, major indexes in Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia slipped lower, while others in Australia, South Korea and Hong Kong ended the day higher.
UOB Global Economics and Markets Research said in a note yesterday that Asian equities were likely to start this week on a defensive note, given the retreat in technology stocks in the United States last Friday. News of a renewed Covid-19 outbreak across China is also likely to dampen sentiment, it said.
On the local bourse, shares of Hongkong Land fell 1.3 per cent to close at US$5.16, the worst STI performer for the day.
CapitaLand Investment ended the day as the top STI gainer, after its shares rose 0.9 per cent, or three cents, to close at $3.42.
Across the broader market, advancers outnumbered decliners 222 to 218 on trade of 1.42 billion securities worth $918.5 million.
Among the top five actively traded counters in terms of value was iFast Corp, which reported earnings over the weekend. Its shares fell 4.1 per cent to close at $9.21 after 3.7 million shares worth $35.7 million changed hands.
The company said it expects to "substantially accelerate the growth" of its overall Hong Kong business over the medium term and increase the scale and quality of the existing business.
In terms of volume, shares of Raffles Education Corp were the second most heavily traded. The counter fell 11.3 per cent to close at 6.3 cents on trade of 88.5 million shares worth $5.6 million.
Its shares have been actively traded in recent trading sessions, amid a disagreement between chief executive Chew Hua Seng and substantial shareholder Oei Hong Leong, and an investigation by the authorities on disclosure matters.