UOB, Singtel & OCBC Led Net Institutional Buying in Early October

• The first 11 sessions of October have seen Singapore stocks book S$280 million of net institutional inflow, following on from close to S$330 million of net institutional inflow in September. UOB, Singtel and OCBC led the net inflow over the past 11 sessions, while averaging 2.9% gains.
   
• This has taken the 2021 YTD total returns of UOB and OCBC to 22% and 23%, as Singtel generated a 10% total return. While Singtel saw S$390 million of net institutional selling in 1H21, the stock has seen S$260 million of net institutional buying in the 2H21 to 15 Oct.
   
• The 10 non-STI stocks that saw the highest net institutional inflow since 30 Sep showed further rotation to the Energy Sector and Agri-businesses over the 11 sessions, on the back of higher energy and food prices, with institutional investors also rotating to Hospitality-related stocks on local and global progress towards VTLs.

The first 11 sessions of October have seen the Straits Times Index (“STI”) gain 2.9%, with the broader Singapore stock market recipient to S$280 million in net institutional inflow. This follows a 1.1% total return in September with close to S$330 million of net institutional inflow. Moreover, the STI has also covered more ground over the past 11 eleven sessions than it did for the whole month of October, with approximately 140 points between high and low in the month thus far, compared to the approximate 70 point range in September.

Of the 30 stocks that saw the highest net institutional inflow since 30 Sep, 20 were STI constituents. United Overseas Bank (“UOB”) and Oversea-Chinese Banking (“OCBC”) and Singapore Telecommunications (“Singtel”) led the net institutional buying:
 

• UOB and OCBC were among the stocks with the highest net institutional inflows for the 11 sessions, with net buying of S$124.0 million and S$50.5 million respectively, while DBS Group Holdings (“DBS”) saw net institutional outflows of S$6.2 million. There is at least another two weeks of trading in the three bank stocks (that are currently averaging 1.2% trading ranges a day) before focus reverts to Financial Results/Business Updates, with OCBC and UOB  providing 3QFY21 numbers on 3 Nov, while DBS will report its 3QFY21 numbers on 5 Nov. For their 2QFY21 (ended 30 June), DBS, OCBC & UOB Averaged 46% YoY Net Profit Growth and in 1HFY21, DBS, OCBC and UOB maintained respective annualised Return on Equity (“ROE’) ratios of 14.0%, 10.8%, and 10.1%. By comparison, the average ROE of the Singapore banks was higher than both the median ROE for the top quartile of global banks by market value and the median for the approximate 600 banking stocks listed across Asia Pacific.
   
• Singapore Telecommunications (“Singtel”) saw S$58.9 million in net institutional inflow over the 11 sessions, after seeing the highest net institutional inflows in September. Singtel has also been a part of the group of Singapore companies conducting strategic reviews, after announcing in May it was weighing options for its digital marketing and cyber security businesses. Fitch Ratings noted the review signaled suggests a sharper focus on profitable growth and prudent capital preservation, and on 12 Aug, Singtel reported a turnaround net profit of S$445 million for its 1QFY22 (ended 30 June). On 1 Oct, Singtel announced that Pension Fund Australian Super will buy a 70% stake in Singtel’s Australia tower network for A$1.9 billion. Since the end of June, Singtel has generated an 11% total return, outpacing global telecommunication stocks which have declined 2%. While Singtel saw S$390 million of net institutional selling in 1H21, the stock has seen S$260 million of net institutional buying in the 2H21 to 15 Oct.

The 10 Non-STI stocks that saw the highest net institutional inflow since 30 Sep, were Geo Energy Resources, Singapore Press Holdings, Raffles Medical Group, First Resources, Golden Agri-Resources, Rex International Holdings, Ascott Residence Trust, Hutchison Port Holding Trusts, CDL Hospitality Trust and Olam International. These 10 stocks represent six sectors, and generated median 8% gains over the 11 sessions, with average total returns at 15%, skewed by gains the two Energy stocks – Geo Energy Resources, closely followed by Rex International Holding. In its FY20 (ended 31 Dec), Geo Energy Resources reported 66% of its revenue to China, and on 13 Oct announced it had completed the redemption of all its outstanding bonds, and expects a strong second half performance in view of higher volumes and heightened coal prices. These 10 Non-STI stocks showed further rotation to the Energy stocks and Agribusinesses over the first 11 sessions of October, while institutional investors also rotated to Hospitality-related stocks.

Together the 30 stocks that saw the highest net institutional inflow since 30 Sep booked a total of S$639 million in net institutional inflow, and are tabled below, sort by highest net institutional inflows for the 11 sessions.  With the exception of the Materials & Resources Sector, all the Sectors of the stock market were represented by the 30 stocks.

 Source: SGX, Reuters (Data as of 15 October 2021)

The stocks that have seen the most net institutional outflows over the past 11 sessions include Singapore Exchange, Nanofilm Technologies International, Keppel Infrastructure Trust, Keppel DC REIT, CapitaLand China Trust, Mapletree Industrial Trust, UMS Holdings, CapitaLand Investment, iFAST Corporation, Mapletree Logistics Trust.  These 10 stocks saw a total of S$274 million in net institutional outflow, while averaging a 1% decline over the 11 sessions, bringing their average total return in the 2021 year to 15 Oct to 23%.

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Originally Posted on October 18, 2021 – UOB, Singtel & OCBC Led Net Institutional Buying in Early October