|
SINGAPORE, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Singapore shares closed 0.9 percent higher on Wednesday, as investors shrugged off weakness in U.S. markets overnight.
U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday as mixed earnings reports prompted investors to pause buying stocks aggressively. Crude oil prices little changed at around 45 U.S. dollars a barrel amid strong dollar and a global fuel glut which offset forecasts for lower U.S. crude stockpiles.
Singapore's benchmark Straits Times Index rose 26.2 points to 2,945.74 points. Trading volume was 1.2 billion shares worth 1.23 billion Singapore dollars. Advancers outnumbered decliners 238 to 150, while 517 stocks did not move.
Wilmar International sank 5.7 percent to 3.16 Singapore dollars. It has issued a profit warning for its second quarter results ending June 30, expecting the group to report net losses of about 230 million U.S. dollars for second quarter.
Keppel REIT closed flat at 1.08 Singapore dollars. The real estate investment trust reported second-quarter distribution per unit was 1.61 Singapore cents, down 6.4 percent from 1.72 Singapore cents in the same period last year.
Its net property income fell to 32.5 million Singapore dollars from 34.7 million Singapore dollars, mainly due to the lack of contribution from a property in Australia that it sold in the first quarter.
Among the top gainers, Jardine Matheson rose 1.9 percent to 59.28 U.S. dollars, whereas Envictus became one of the top losers by sinking 9.4 percent to 53 Singapore cents. (1 U.S. dollar equals 1.36 Singapore dollars) Enditem
