THE Straits Times Index (STI) closed 5.38 points or 0.2 per cent lower at 3,287.75 on Thursday (Apr 25).

This came on the back of a steady close on Wall Street overnight, ahead of the release of key US inflation data on Friday that could have a bearing on interest rate policy next week.

The decline in the benchmark index was contributed by almost half the components of the 30-stock blue-chip gauge closing in the red, including UOB : U11 0% that went ex-dividend, as well as six counters being unchanged.

Shares of Keppel : BN4 0%ended S$0.25 or 3.5 per cent lower at S$6.86, making it the worst-performing counter on the STI.

The company reported lower revenue for the quarter ended Mar 31, and also went ex-dividend on Thursday.

The global asset manager and operator posted a 6.3 per cent fall in top line to S$1.5 billion due to lower turnover from the real estate segment.

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Net profit for the quarter was also down on year, it said, without disclosing its bottom line.

With news reports of Malaysia possibly interested in opening a casino just north of Singapore in Johor state, the potential rivalry sent shares of Genting Singapore : G13 0% – which is the operator of an integrated resort with a casino in the city-state – down 2.1 per cent or S$0.02 to S$0.92.

Across the broader market, decliners beat gainers 311 to 271, with 1.5 billion securities worth S$1.19 billion changing hands.

Asian bourses closed mixed, with Malaysia ending flat while Japan’s Nikkei 225 was deeply in the red amid risk of government intervention to prop up the sliding yen.