Daily Markets Briefing: STI down 0.56%

Expect some lifts to local sentiments today.

The Straits Times Index (STI) ended 18.28 points or 0.56% lower to 3249.34, taking the year-to-date performance to +12.79%.

The top active stocks today were DBS, which declined 0.78%, Singtel, which declined 1.33%, OCBC Bank, which declined 0.54%, UOB, which declined 0.13% and YZJ Shipbldg SGD, with a 1.91% advance.

The FTSE ST Mid Cap Index gained 0.13%, while the FTSE ST Small Cap Index declined 0.29%.

According to OCBC, the US stock benchmarks on Tuesday staged a recovery from heavy selling earlier in the session that came after a North Korean missile test over Japanese airspace rattled investors and sent Wall Street trawling for assets perceived as safe.

Four out of eleven S&P 500 industries finished higher, led by Industrials at 0.65% and Information Technology at 0.41%, whilst Materials at -0.56% and Financials at -0.47% led the losses.

"The rebound on Wall Street overnight could provide a lift to the local sentiment this morning," OCBC said.