Latest news with #GeoffHowie
Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Singapore stocks end in the red amid geopolitical uncertainties; STI down 0.4%
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The wary mood sent the Straits Times Index down 0.4 per cent or 18.32 points to 4,239.83. SINGAPORE – The local share rally went slightly off the rails on Aug 8 as investors took stock of geopolitical uncertainties and looked ahead to corporate results. The wary mood sent the Straits Times Index (STI) down 0.4 per cent or 18.32 points to 4,239.83 with losers trumping gainers 344 to 190 on trade of 1.3 billion securities worth $2 billion. Earnings reports took centre stage over broader themes such as tarrifs and interest rates, said Singapore Exchange market strategist Geoff Howie. 'Earnings momentum is expected to build in Singapore next week,' he added, while also noting that Aug 12 will be pivotal, with markets closely watching for US inflation data and the expiry of the 90-day pause on US-China tariffs. DBS was the STI's top gainer, adding 2 per cent to a record $50.74, after reporting a rise in second-quarter earnings on Aug 7. Sembcorp led the losers, diving 13.9 per cent to $6.72 after a dip in first-half earnings. The other local banks slipped: OCBC fell 1.7 per cent to $16.79; and UOB closed 0.3 per cent lower at $35.70 Regional markets were mixed after a similar session on Wall Street overnight. The gainers included Japan's Nikkei 225, up 1.9 per cent, while Malaysian shares advanced 0.5 per cent. But South Korea's Kospi declined 0.6 per cent and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong dropped 0.9 per cent. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore PM Wong calls on S'poreans to band together for nation to remain exceptional in National Day message Singapore Four foreign leaders to attend NDP 2025 at the Padang Singapore NDP 2025: No ticket, no problem – here are some spots to soak up National Day vibes Business Singapore's digital banks trim deposit rates, mirroring moves by incumbent players Singapore Non-invasive depression treatment TMS has helped engineer get his life back Life S'pore's nightlife isn't dead yet: A nightlife reporter's 6 favourite places to drink Singapore Ex-lawyer convicted of cheating, forgery charges involving more than $8 million Singapore Chief Justice names law graduate who wanted anonymity after being denied Bar admission Despite the uneven finish, Asian markets turned in a bullish performance this week, said Mr Kai Wang, Asia equity market strategist at Morningstar. He noted that most of this week's top contributors were tech or Internet stocks, suggesting that markets remain driven by AI trends. This may be reflected in the US market as well given some of the robust earnings growth US tech giants.
Business Times
a day ago
- Business
- Business Times
Singapore stocks end Friday in the red amid mixed Asia markets; STI down 0.4%
[SINGAPORE] Local stocks ended its rally to close lower on Friday (Aug 8), following a mixed performance across Asian markets as investors navigated a week marked by geopolitical uncertainties and corporate earnings. The blue-chip Straits Times Index (STI) was down 0.4 per cent or 18.32 points at 4,239.83. Across the broader market, decliners outnumbered gainers 344 to 190, with 1.3 billion securities worth S$2 billion changing hands. The week closed with mixed moves across Singapore and the region, as earnings reports took centre stage over broader macro themes such as global trade and interest rates, said Geoff Howie, market strategist at the Singapore Exchange. 'Earnings momentum is expected to build in Singapore next week, while market attention shifts back to broader macroeconomic themes,' he told The Business Times. Howie noted that next Tuesday (Aug 12) will be pivotal, with markets closely watching the release of July's US consumer price index data and the scheduled expiry of the 90-day pause on US-China trade tariffs. On the STI, DBS was the top gainer. It rose 2 per cent or S$0.99 to S$50.74, after reporting a second-quarter net profit of S$2.82 billion on Thursday. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up At the bottom of the index was Sembcorp . It fell 13.9 per cent or S$1.08 to S$6.72, after posting a 1 per cent dip in first-half earnings to S$536 million. The drop was due to lower turnover from its gas business. The other two local banks ended in negative territory, with OCBC falling 1.7 per cent or S$0.30 to S$16.79 and UOB closing 0.3 per cent or S$0.11 lower at S$35.70 Elsewhere in the region, markets closed mixed on Friday. Among the gainers, Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 1.9 per cent and Malaysia's KLCI added 0.5 per cent. Meanwhile, South Korea's Kospi declined 0.6 per cent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index dropped 0.9 per cent. Despite the uneven finish, Asian equity markets turned in a bullish performance with all sectors gaining this week. This was supported by June quarter earnings looking strong, said Kai Wang, Asia equity market strategist at Morningstar. He noted that most of this week's top contributors were tech or Internet stocks, suggesting that markets remain driven by secular AI trends. This may be reflected in the US market as well given some of the robust growth shown in the earnings of the US 'Magnificent 7' – a group of mega-cap tech companies – Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Nvidia and Tesla. 'We think that some of these positive results should translate into further bullishness for major China communication services and internet platform names as we continue into earnings season,' he added.
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Singapore shares bounce back after 6-day losing streak; STI up 1%
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Across the broader market, advancers beat decliners 361 to 206, after 1.5 billion securities worth $1.5 billion changed hands. SINGAPORE - Stocks on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) rebounded on Aug 4, snapping a six-day losing streak, even as Asian indexes closed mixed. The local market had fallen for six straight sessions from July 25 to Aug 1, marking its longest losing streak since April 9. The Straits Times Index (STI) rose 1 per cent or 43.4 points to 4197.23. Across the broader market, advancers beat decliners 361 to 206, after 1.5 billion securities worth $1.5 billion changed hands. 'The broad bid tone was linked to a more accommodative Federal Reserve outlook, which had been increasingly discounted over the prior Asia week,' Mr Geoff Howie, market strategist at SGX, told The Business Times. He added that the iEdge S-Reit Index posted its strongest daily gain since April as softer US employment data and downward revisions to prior months flipped rate expectations. This pushed the odds of a Federal Reserve cut on Sept 17 to 80 per cent from under 40 per cent before the release. Market sentiment, however, is turning sour. Swissquote Bank senior analyst Ipek Ozkardeskaya noted that the three-month average for US job gains dropped to 35,000, which is below the 50,000 level often viewed as a recession signal. She added that higher rate cut expectations due to recession fears are good news for US President Donald Trump, but a weak economy was not part of his promise. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Govt forms 5 new committees to look at longer-term economic strategies; report due in mid-2026 Singapore Ong Beng Seng to be sentenced on Aug 15, prosecution does not object to fine due to his poor health Singapore All recruits at BMTC will be trained to fly drones and counter them: Chan Chun Sing Singapore Pritam Singh had hoped WP would 'tip one or two more constituencies' at GE2025 Singapore Eu Yan Sang warns of counterfeits of its health supplements being sold online Singapore Electric car-sharing firm BlueSG to wind down current operations on Aug 8 Singapore Woman, 26, hit by car after dashing across street near Orchard Road Singapore Car passenger dies after accident involving bus in Yishun 'Cutting rates at the wrong moment won't magically rescue markets, and scapegoating the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) for the outcome of his administration's chaotic policies risks damaging the credibility of US economic data.' she said. Mr Trump fired BLS commissioner Erika McEntarfer on Aug 1, accusing her of manipulating the weaker-than-expected employment growth numbers. Regional bourses ended mixed on Aug 4. South Korea's Kospi and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index each rose 0.9 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 1.3 per cent and Malaysia's KLCI slipped 0.4 per cent. Back home, on the STI, Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust was the top gainer. It rose 3.1 per cent or $0.04 to $1.32. Thai Beverage came in at the bottom of the table, shedding 1.1 per cent or $0.005 to $0.46.
Business Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
Singapore shares bounce back after 6-day losing streak; STI up 1%
[SINGAPORE] Stocks on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) rebounded on Monday (Aug 4), snapping a six-day losing streak, even as Asian indices closed mixed. The local market had fallen for six straight sessions from Jul 25 to Aug 1, marking its longest losing streak since Apr 9. The Straits Times Index (STI) rose 1 per cent or 43.4 points to 4197.23. Across the broader market, advancers beat decliners 361 to 206, after 1.5 billion securities worth S$1.5 billion changed hands. 'The broad bid tone was linked to a more accommodative Federal Reserve outlook, which had been increasingly discounted over the prior Asia week,' Geoff Howie, market strategist at SGX, told The Business Times. He added that the iEdge S-Reit Index posted its strongest daily gain since April as softer US employment data and downward revisions to prior months flipped rate expectations. This pushed the odds of a Federal Reserve cut on Sep 17 to 80 per cent from under 40 per cent before the release. Market sentiment, however, is turning sour. Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank, noted that the three-month average for US job gains dropped to 35,000, which is below the 50,000 level often viewed as a recession signal. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up She added that higher rate cut expectations due to recession fears are good news for US President Donald Trump, but a weak economy was not part of his promise. 'Cutting rates at the wrong moment won't magically rescue markets, and scapegoating the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for the outcome of his administration's chaotic policies risks damaging the credibility of US economic data.' she said. Trump fired BLS commissioner Erika McEntarfer on Friday, accusing her of manipulating the weaker-than-expected employment growth numbers. Regional bourses ended mixed on Monday. South Korea's Kospi and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index each rose 0.9 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 1.3 per cent and Malaysia's KLCI slipped 0.4 per cent. Back home, on the STI, Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust was the top gainer. It rose 3.1 per cent or S$0.04 to S$1.32. Thai Beverage came in at the bottom of the table, shedding 1.1 per cent or S$0.005 to S$0.46. The trio of local banks closed in the black. DBS gained 0.6 per cent or S$0.29 to S$47.89, OCBC rose 0.7 per cent or S$0.11 to S$16.9, and UOB was up 0.8 per cent or S$0.30 to S$36.37.
Business Times
14-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Trump, tariffs and the tumble of the US dollar
Trade threats. Sliding currencies. Shifting rate expectations. In the debut episode of Market Focus Weekly by The Business Times, host Emily Liu sits down with Geoff Howie, market strategist at Singapore Exchange (SGX), to break down the headlines roiling Asian markets. From Washington's tariff deadlines to Singapore's stock market highs, this is your Friday must-listen for what's actually moving the region's markets and why it matters. Why listen? Tariffs are back on the table President Trump's July 9 deadline looms. Markets are bracing for a fresh wave of economic uncertainty. The US dollar is down 10% And that's reshaping capital flows into Asia. Will it continue? Fed rate cuts just got downgraded Markets expected 75 basis points. Now it's looking like 50. What changed? BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Gold is quietly surging Inflows into SGD-denominated ETFs are up. Investors are hedging and watching. Oil prices remain volatile Energy counters on the SGX are swinging. Here's where the action is. Market Focus Weekly cuts through the noise so you can follow the signals. Catch Episode 1 now because in markets, timing is everything. Questions or feedback? Reach us at btpodcasts@ --- Written and hosted by: Emily Liu (emilyliu@ Produced and edited by: Howie Lim & Claressa Monteiro Produced by: BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media --- Follow Market Focus Daily and rate us on: Channel: Amazon: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: YouTube Music: Website: Feedback to: btpodcasts@ Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party's products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice. Discover more BT podcast series: BT Money Hacks at: BT Correspondents at: BT Podcasts at: BT Branded Podcasts at: BT Lens On:
