Buybacks, filings start to moderate as earnings season begins

FOR the five trading sessions spanning Jan 17 to Jan 23, the Straits Times Index (STI) declined 1.3 per cent with the Nikkei 225 Index, Hang Seng Index and S&P/ASX 200 Index averaging a 0.8 per cent decline.

This has brought the STI's 2020 total return through to Jan 23 to 0.4 per cent, following a 9.4 per cent total return in 2019.

Sector-wise, the iEdge S-Reit Index has gained 3.8 per cent and the iEdge SG All Healthcare Index has gained 3.9 per cent in the 2020 year through to Jan 23.

Share buybacks

There were eight primary-listed stocks conducting share buybacks over the five sessions ending Jan 23 with a total consideration of S$2.1 million, just…