Singapore shares end lackluster as weak financials weigh

Singapore stocks ended little changed on Wednesday, tracking mixed Asian shares amidst caution over the latest missile test by North Korea and concerns at recent softness in Chinese shares.

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A man leaves the SGX Singapore Exchange building in Singapore's central business district January 7, 2016.

Singapore stocks ended little changed on Wednesday, tracking mixed Asian shares amidst caution over the latest missile test by North Korea and concerns at recent softness in Chinese shares.

Stocks in Seoul fell as investors considered the latest intercontinental ballistic missile launch from North Korea. Bitcoin surpassed $10,000 for the first time, bringing this year's price surge to more than 10-fold.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up just a fraction, while China's blue chip index eased 0.5 percent.

The Straits Times Index edged down 0.1 percent or 3 points to 3,438. It ended 0.17 percent higher on Tuesday, taking the year-to-date performance to about 19 percent.

DBS Group Holdings rose 0.1 percent, United Overseas Bank lost 0.04 percent while Oversea-Chinese Banking was down 0.2 percent.

Centurion, which owns and operates workers and student accommodation assets, rose 1 percent after the company said it will offer 36 million shares in a secondary Hong Kong listing.

Embattled commodities trader Noble Group jumped 5.4 percent after the company said it would sell four of its Kamsarmax dry bulk carrier vessels for US$95 million, as part of its debt reduction plans.

Singapore-based Eurosports Global, the sole authorised Lamborghini dealer in Singapore, rose 2 percent after its joint venture company, Prosper Auto entered into a dealership agreement with Italian sports car maker.

About 1.8 billion shares worth S$1 billion changed hands, with losers outnumbering gainers 228 to 185.

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