• On 17 Feb, the STI, led by the bank sector, formed a fresh YTD high at 3,466, and has since declined to below 3,330. While the six sessions through to 25 Feb saw the STI decline 4.3%, reducing its 2021 YTD total return to 5.7%, 17 of the 30 STI stocks booked net institutional inflows, averaging a comparatively defensive 1.6% decline.
   
• Singtel led the STI with a 1.6% gain over the six sessions while also attracting the highest net institutional inflows, with S$158 million of net inflows, taking its 2022 YTD gain to 12.1% with S$465 million of net institutional inflow.  On 15 Feb, Singtel provided a business update, reporting its 3QFY22 net profit increased 24% YoY.
   
• In addition to the 17 STI stocks, 13 non-STI stocks ranked among the stocks that attracted the highest net institutional inflow over the six sessions, averaging a 1.5% price gain.  The strongest performers of the 13 stocks over the six sessions included Riverstone, Bumitama Agri, Geo Energy Res, Nanofilm and Chip Eng Seng, averaging 4.8% gains.

 Just as sector composition played a key role in the STI’s regional and global outperformance through to 17 Feb, it has also been a driver of the STI volatility returning to Dec 2021 levels in the six sessions since 17 Feb. From 17 Feb to 25 Feb, DBS Group Holdings, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp and United Overseas Bank, which make up 45% of the STI weights averaged a 7.6% decline, after averaging 7.0% gains in the Feb month through to 17 Feb. In the month of Feb to date, CME FedWatch expectations for a 50 bps interest rate hike (rather than 25 bps) have grown from less than 10% to near 60% on 15 Feb, and back to near 20% on the 25 Feb close. Note these expectations had further fallen to near 5% prior to the 28 Feb open. With the trio of Singapore-listed banks also reporting FY21 results over the past two weeks, the three stocks have seen more up and down volatility than their global peers, while averaging an overall 1.2% decline for the month in the Feb month to 25 Feb, in-line with the indicative 1.1% decline for their global peers.

As the banks booked net institutional outflow for the six sessions spanning 18 Feb to 25 Feb, more than 200 stocks attracted net institutional inflow. While the STI declined 4.3% between 17 Feb and 25 Feb, 17 of the STI constituents ranked among the 30 stocks that saw the most net institutional inflow over the six sessions. These 17 stocks averaged a 1.6% decline, while the 17 non-STI stocks that made up the remaining 30 stocks averaged a 1.5% gain.

The five stocks that saw the most net institutional inflow over the six sessions are tabled below. All five stocks have either recently or are currently embracing significant strategic initiatives or pivots to boost shareholder value. 

 Source: SGX, Refinitiv, Bloomberg (Data as of 25 Feb 2022)

Singapore Telecommunications is pursuing an ongoing strategic reset to develop new growth engines in ICT and digital services which aims to transform NCS into an Asian B2B digital services champion. CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust began trading in Nov 2020, following a merger of CapitaLand Mall Trust and CapitaLand Commercial Trust. Keppel Corporation’s 2030 initiative aims to transform its portfolio into an integrated business, providing solutions for sustainable urbanisation, with a focus on energy and environment, urban development, connectivity, and asset management. Sembcorp Industries has pressed on with its strategic transformation of its portfolio from brown to green energy, and aims for its sustainable solutions portfolio to comprise 70% of the Group's net profit in 2025, up from around 40% in 2020. CapitaLand Investment began trading in September 2021 as one of the globe’s largest real estate investment managers following the significant restructure by CapitaLand into two distinct entities. For the recent financial reports and business updates of the five stocks.

The 30 stocks that saw the most net institutional inflow over the six sessions are tabled below and ranked by the highest net institutional inflow over the six sessions.

 Source: SGX, Refinitiv, Bloomberg (Data as of 25 Feb 2022)