Singapore Stock Market May Add To Its Winnings On Tuesday

(RTTNews) - The Singapore stock market has moved higher in three straight sessions, gathering more than 20 points or 0.4 percent along the way. The Straits Times Index now sits just shy of the 4,310-point plateau and it's tipped to open in the green again on Tuesday. The global forecast for the Asian markets is upbeat on optimism over the outlook for interest rates. The European and U.S. markets were modestly higher and the Asian bourses are expected to follow that lead. The STI finished barely higher on Monday following mixed performances from the financial shares, property stocks and industrial issues. For the day, the index perked 1.44 points or 0.03 percent to finish at 4,308.52 after trading between 4,296.13 and 4,319.06. Among the actives, CapitaLand Ascendas REIT and Frasers Logistics & Commercial Trust both strengthened 1.08 percent, while CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust rallied 1.33 percent, CapitaLand Investment added 0.72 percent, City Developments advanced 1.05 percent, Comfort DelGro jumped 1.36 percent, DBS Group collected 0.08 percent, DFI Retail Group sank 0.60 percent, Hongkong Land dropped 0.94 percent, Keppel DC REIT increased 0.86 percent, Keppel Ltd was up 0.12 percent, Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust accelerated 1.44 percent, Mapletree Industrial Trust improved 0.96 percent, Mapletree Logistics Trust spiked 1.63 percent, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation eased 0.18 percent, SATS gained 0.61 percent, Seatrium Limited lost 0.42 percent, SembCorp Industries rose 0.49 percent, Singapore Technologies Engineering perked 0.25 percent, SingTel tumbled 1.37 percent, Thai Beverage climbed 1.06 percent, United Overseas Bank shed 0.53 percent, UOL Group gathered 0.27 percent, Wilmar International fell 0.34 percent, Yangzijiang Financial surged 3.81 percent, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding soared 2.26 percent and Genting Singapore was unchanged.

The lead from Wall Street is cautiously optimistic as the major averages opened mixed on Monday but all finished with modest gains.

The Dow climbed 114.09 points or 0.25 percent to finish at 45,514.95, while the NASDAQ advanced98.31 points or 0.45 percent to close at 21,798.70 and the S&P 500 rose 13.65 points or 0.21 percent to end at 6,495.15.

The strength on Wall Street reflected optimism about the outlook for interest rates following last Friday's weaker-than-expected U.S. employment data.

Following the release of a closely watched report showing employment increased by much less than expected in the month of August, CME Group's FedWatch Tool is currently indicating a 90.2 percent chance the Fed will lower rates by a quarter point later this month.

Overall trading activity was subdued, however, as traders looked ahead to the release of consumer and producer price inflation later this week, which could also impact the outlook for rates.

Crude oil moved higher Monday on the threat of sanctions hanging over Russia on its oil exports, although the upside was limited by OPEC's decision Sunday to increase output. West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery was up $0.53 or 0.86 percent at $62.40 per barrel.