SGX Stock Recommendations

MARKET UPDATES :

• The Straits Times Index (STI) ended -4.99 points lower or -0.15% to 3373.6, taking the year-to-date perform- ance to +0.25%.

• The FTSE ST Mid Cap Index gained +0.20% while the FTSE ST Small Cap Index gained +0.16%. The top active stocks were SingTel (unchanged), DBS (-0.36%), OCBC Bank (-0.19%), UOB (-0.40%) and Keppel Land (+0.44%).

• The outperforming sectors today were represented by the FTSE ST Utilities Index (+1.23%). The two biggest stocks of the FTSE ST Utilities Index are United Envirotech (+0.31%) and Hyflux (+0.58%). The underperform- ing sector was the FTSE ST Industrials Index, which declined -0.74% with Jardine Matheson Holdings ’s share price declining -1.60% and Jardine Strategic Holdings ’s share price declining-0.35%.

• The three most active Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) by value today were the DBXT FT China 25 ETF (+0.52%), SPDR Gold Shares (-0.17%), STI ETF (unchanged).

• The three most active Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) by value were CapitaCom Trust (-0.88%), Ascen- das REIT (-0.40%), Suntec REIT (+1.64%).

• The most active index warrants by value today were HSI24400MBeCW150429 (+5.50%), HSI25000M- BeCW150429 (+4.84%), HSI23800MBePW150330 (-12.26%).

• The most active stock warrants by value today were OCBC Bk MBeCW150803 (-1.06%), DBS MB eCW150420 (-7.14%), UOB MB eCW150701 (-5.04%).

Forex Market Update

The dollar retreated against its rivals Thursday after the Commerce Department said U.S. retail-sales fell for the third-straight month in February.

The dollar USDJPY, +0.16%  changed hands at 121.35 yen Thursday afternoon after falling as low as ¥120.66 in the wake of the data. The buck traded at ¥121.47 Wednesday evening.

The euro EURUSD, -0.29%  traded at $1.0632, compared with $1.0547 Wednesday.

The British pound, however, surrendered its early gains against the dollar in afternoon trade, falling to a 20-month low of $1.4850 GBPUSD, -0.13% compared with $1.4910 Wednesday.

The ICE U.S. Dollar Index DXY, +0.13% a measure of the dollar’s strength against six rivals, fell 0.5% to 99.30.

S&P Market News Update

U.S. stocks recorded the biggest gain in more than a month as expectations for a rate hike were pushed back following disappointing data on retail sales.

The S&P 500 SPX, +1.26%  closed 25.71 points, or 1.3%, higher at 2,065.95, with nine of its 10 main sectors finishing with gains. Financials led the way, with the sector gaining 2.2%.