SINGAPORE - Softer markets and political uncertainty in the United States took their toll on local equity activity on Tuesday (Oct 31), and lower-than-expected Chinese manufacturing sentiment did not help.

The benchmark Straits Times Index finished down 1.89 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 3,374.08.

Hutchison Port Holdings Trust, which on Monday posted a 37 per cent year-on-year drop in third-quarter profits, shed half a US cent, or 1.1 per cent, to 43 US cents.

Developer Roxy-Pacific Holdings was down by one cent, or 1.7 per cent, to 57 cents on the news of an 82 per cent fall in third-quarter earnings.

Offshore services provider KTL Global, where the chief executive is assisting the authorities in a probe, lost 0.6 cents, or 14.3 per cent, to 3.6 cents.

But one gainer for the day was Changi Airport service provider Sats, which has struck a ground-handling deal with AirAsia.

The counter put on one cent, or 0.2 per cent, to $4.70.

Also up was semiconductor component manufacturer Micro-Mechanics (Holdings), which added eight cents, or 3.9 per cent, to $2.11.