(RTTNews) - The Singapore stock market has finished lower in two straight sessions, dropping more than 30 points or 1 percent along the way. The Straits Times Index now sits just above the 3,230-point plateau and it may extend its losses on Thursday.
The global forecast for the Asian markets suggests consolidation on inflation concerns and a drop in crude oil prices. The European markets were up and the U.S. bourses were down and the Asian markets figure to follow the latter lead.
The STI finished modestly lower on Wednesday following losses from the financial shares, property stocks and industrial issues.
For the day, the index shed 12.10 points or 0.37 percent to finish at 3,231.32 after trading between 3,218.31 and 3,246.00. Volume was 2.03 billion shares worth 1.05 billion Singapore dollars. There were 256 decliners and 204 gainers.
Among the actives, Ascendas REIT fell 0.32 percent, while City Developments rose 0.28 percent, Comfort DelGro and DBS Group both skidded 0.62 percent, Dairy Farm International plummeted 1.17 percent, Jardine Cycle advanced 1.02 percent, Jardine Matheson climbed 1.16 percent, Mapletree Commercial Trust dropped 0.47 percent, Mapletree Logistics Trust sank 0.51 percent, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation lost 0.34 percent, SATS surrendered 0.95 percent, SembCorp Industries tumbled 0.96 percent, Singapore Airlines tanked 1.09 percent, Singapore Exchange eased 0.21 percent, Singapore Technologies Engineering gained 0.79 percent, SingTel declined 0.78 percent, United Overseas Bank retreated 0.75 percent, Wilmar International plunged 1.14 percent, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding added 0.80 percent and Keppel Corp, Genting Singapore, CapitaLand, CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust, Thai Beverage and Singapore Press Holdings were unchanged.
The lead from Wall Street is broadly negative as the major averages opened slightly lower on Wednesday but saw the losses accelerate as the day progressed to finish solidly under water.
The Dow tumbled 240.04 points or 0.66 percent to finish at 36,079.94, while the NASDAQ plunged 263.84 points or 1.66 percent to close at 15,622.71 and the S&P 500 sank 38.54 points or 0.82 percent to end at 4,646.71.
Concerns about inflation contributed to the weakness on Wall Street after the Labor Department released a report showing consumer prices increased by more than expected in October, lifting the annual rate of price growth to its highest level in over thirty years.
The acceleration in the rate of consumer price inflation raised concerns about the outlook for interest rates even though the Federal Reserve has signaled it will not be in a hurry to begin raising rates.
Also, a separate report from the Labor Department showed another modest decrease in first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits last week.
Crude oil prices declined sharply on Wednesday, snapping a three-day winning streak after data showed an increase in U.S. crude stockpiles last week. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for December ended down by $2.81 or 3.3 percent at $81.34 a barrel.