Singapore stocks edged lower on Wednesday, as investors braced for caution ahead of the Federal Reserve monetary policy policy later in the day.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan stood little changed. Japan's Nikkei was flat. Shanghai lost 0.2 percent while Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 0.2 percent.
At a two-day meeting that began on Tuesday, the Fed is expected to take another step toward policy normalization and announce plans to begin unwinding its $4.2 trillion portfolio of Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities, Reuters reported.
At xx GMT, the Straits Times Index fell 0.21 percent or 7 points to 3,219. It ended 0.49 percent lower on Tuesday, taking the year-to-date performance to about 12 percent.
Jardine Matheson Holdings fell 1 percent.
Shares in taxi operator ComfortDelGro fell 1 percent, its third straight decline after its unit SBS Transit lost the tender to operate the Thomson-East Coast line to competitor SMRT.
Singapore Technologies Engineering said it invested US$5.8 million (about S$7.8 million) for a minority stake in U.S.-based cyber security provider Janus Technologies Inc. Its shares fell 0.6 percent.
United Engineers shares lost 1 percent after the takeover offer by Perennial-Yanlord consortium for its ordinary shares lapsed on Tuesday as there were few takers.
Keppel Group's unit Keppel Land said it acquired a prime site in Jakarta's central business district for 586 billion Indonesian rupiah (about S$60 million). Keppel Corp shares were unchanged at S$6.38.
About 981 million shares worth S$378 million changed hands, with losers outnumbering gainers 150 to 147.
