Singapore stocks end up 0.12 pct on Monday

Singapore shares closed 0.12 percent higher on Monday as many investors shrugged off news of failed coup in Turkey.

Investors' reaction to a failed coup against the Turkish government was largely muted, and Japanese markets were closed for a holiday.

Singapore's benchmark Straits Times Index inched up 3.41 points to 2,928.76 points. Trading volume was 1.46 billion shares worth 1.13 billion Singapore dollars. Decliners slightly outnumbered advancers 222 to 200, while 497 stocks did not move.

Singapore Airlines fell 0.6 percent to 11.08 Singapore dollars. The Singapore flag carrier announced that its passenger load factor, or the portion of its planes filled, declined to 77.8 percent in June from 79.9 percent in the same month of last year.

As for the group level, which includes units SilkAir, Scoot and Tiger Airways, the passenger load factor declined to 78.1 percent in June from 80 percent last year.

Singapore Press Holdings lost 5.4 percent to 3.85 Singapore dollars. It reported its fiscal third quarter net profit of 51.7 million Singapore dollars, down 46.4 percent on a year earlier, mainly hit by impairment charges related to the magazine business, while its operating revenue slid due to "structural challenges confronting the media industry and the sluggish economic environment."

Among top gainers, UOB rose 1 percent to 18.93 Singapore dollars, while Jardine Matheson became one of the top losers by falling 0.8 percent to 58 U.S. dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals 1.35 Singapore dollars) Endit