Singtel's associate earnings dragged by Airtel
This led to a 3.5% dip in underlying net profit.
The past quarter had been rough for Singtel, particularly for its associates.
According to CIMB, Singtel's associates’ underlying profit contributions fell 2.5% in SGD terms to $515m.
Airtel saw pre-tax contributions drop by 42%, AIS recorded a 24% decline, and Globe posted a 10% decrease.
This is partly buffered by the positive performances by Telkomsel and Intouch.
On a quarterly basis, associate earning were steady as the lower earnings at AIS, Intouch, and Bharti were offset by higher quarterly contributions from Globe and Telkomsel.
To recall, Singtel recorded a $892m net profit in 1Q18, down 6% from 1Q17.