The Singapore stock market has finished lower in back-to-back trading days, slumping more than 40 points or 1.3 percent along the way. The Straits Times Index now sits just above the 3,070-point plateau and it may take further damage again on Tuesday.
The global forecast for the Asian markets suggests continued consolidation on rising Omicron COVID-19 concerns. The European and U.S. markets were solidly lower and the Asian markets are tipped to open in similar fashion.
The STI finished sharply lower on Monday with losses in every sector - most notably, financials, properties and industrials.
For the day, the index dropped 38.66 points or 1.24 percent to finish at 3,072.97 after trading between 3,068.21 and 3,098.49. Volume was 1.1 billion shares worth 1.03 billion Singapore dollars. There were 369 decliners and 147 gainers.
Among the actives, Ascendas REIT lost 1.03 percent, while CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust dipped 0.51 percent, City Developments tanked 1.77 percent, Comfort DelGro stumbled 1.46 percent, Dairy Farm International cratered 4.01 percent, DBS Group fell 0.89 percent, Genting Singapore plummeted 2.60 percent, Keppel Corp tumbled 1.75 percent, Mapletree Commercial Trust retreated 1.49 percent, Mapletree Logistics Trust and Singapore Technologies Engineering both surrendered 1.61 percent, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation declined 1.50 percent, SATS shed 1.04 percent, SembCorp Industries plunged 2.01 percent, Singapore Airlines sank 1.23 percent, Singapore Exchange weakened 1.30 percent, Singapore Press Holdings was down 0.43 percent, SingTel slumped 1.27 percent, United Overseas Bank dropped 1.15 percent, Wilmar International skidded 1.47 percent, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding slid 0.78 percent and Thai Beverage was unchanged.
The lead from Wall Street is negative as the major averages opened sharply lower on Monday and remained that way throughout the session.
The Dow dropped 433.28 points or 1.23 percent to finish at 34,932.16, while the NASDAQ sank 188.74 points or 1.24 percent to close at 14,980.94 and the S&P 500 lost 52.62 points or 1.14 percent to end at 4,568.02.
Concerns about the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus contributed to the weakness on Wall Street. With the World Health Organization saying the number of cases is doubling in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with community transmission, traders seem worried the new strain could derail the global economic recovery.
The spread of the Omicron variant could also lead to further global supply chain issues, which have contributed to elevated inflation.
Democratic West Virgina senator Joe Manchin's announcement that he will not support the Biden administration's Build Back Better plan added to the negative sentiment.
Crude oil futures settled sharply lower Monday as a rapid surge in Omicron variant of the coronavirus and stricter restrictions on movements in several countries raised concerns about outlook for energy demand. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for February ended down by $2.63 or 3.7 percent at $68.23 a barrel.
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