<div id="readability-page-1"><div>[SINGAPORE] Local equities finished Friday (Aug 15) lower, extending a two-day losing streak, as markets awaited peace talks between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Russia-Ukraine war.The benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) fell 0.6 per cent or 25.99 points to 4,230.53. Across the broader market, decliners beat gainers 302 to 233 as 1.4 billion securities worth S$1.6 billion changed hands. “The upcoming meeting looks more likely to sour than succeed, with oil flows potentially caught in the crossfire,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank. She added that Trump had warned of “severe consequences”, including sanctions, if Ukraine peace talks stall, raising the risk of tensions with Russia.Ozkardeskaya further noted that this week’s US consumer price index and producer price index data suggest companies have largely absorbed tariff costs so far. However, that could change if higher prices are eventually passed on to consumers.She also said that markets now see a 93 per cent chance of a 25-basis-point cut by the US Federal Reserve in September. She expects this to be the only one this year, adding that a 50-basis-point cut is unlikely. “The White House pressure is mounting, and the September rate cut looks inevitable – come hell or high water.”In Asia, key regional indices were mixed as Japan’s gross domestic product figures beat forecasts, while data on Chinese industrial production, investment and retail sales fell short of expectations. Japan’s Nikkei 225 ended 1.7 per cent higher, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.8 per cent and South Korea’s Kospi remained flat for a second consecutive day. Meanwhile, the Bursa Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Composite Index was down 0.3 per cent, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 1 per cent. Back home, the STI was dragged by UOB, which fell 2.8 per cent or S$1.02 to S$35.34.The other two local banks also ended lower; DBS shed 1.2 per cent or S$0.59 to S$49.90, and OCBC edged down 0.1 per cent or S$0.02 to S$16.90. UOB and DBS went ex-dividend on Friday. The top performer on the index was Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, which rose 1 per cent or S$0.03 to S$2.91.</div></div>

大華銀行

2 倍做空日元 ETF - ProShares

新加坡海峽時報指數（STI）下跌 0.6%，至 4,230.53，延續了兩天的下滑，市場在等待美國總統特朗普與俄羅斯總統普京就俄烏戰爭進行的和平談判。分析師對談判停滯可能引發的緊張局勢和制裁表示擔憂。整體市場中，302 只股票下跌，233 只股票上漲，華僑銀行在本地銀行中領跌。與此同時，區域指數表現不一，日本日經 225 指數上漲 1.7%，而香港恒生指數下跌 1%

新加坡股市在特朗普與普京的和平談判前繼續下跌；海峽時報指數下跌 0.6%