SGX: Sector Index Highlights Of The First Four Months Of 2015

• Over the first four months of 2015, the STI generated a total return of 5.1% with the broader FTSE ST All-Share Index generating a total return of 5.6%.
• During this time the top three performing Industry Indices, on a total return basis, were the FTSE ST Utilities Index (+24.9%), the FTSE ST Health Care Index (+23.2%), and the FTSE ST Basic Materials Index (+17.2%).
• The FTSE ST Health Care Index & FTSE ST Utilities Index were also the best performing sector indices for the same four month period in 2014.
• As of the end of April, the industry indices with the highest dividend yields were the FTSE ST Telecommunications Index (4.3%), the FTSE ST Health Care Index (3.9%) and the FTSE ST Industrials Index (3.4%).

In the first four months of 2015, the ten FTSE ST Industry Indices that cover the 179 stocks of the FTSE All Share Index have all produced positive returns, ranging from 0.5% for the FTSE ST Technology Index to 24.9% for the FTSE ST Utilities Index. This brings the FTSE ST All-Share Index total returns to 5.6% in the first four months this year.

Stocks that are a part of the FTSE ST all Share Index are assigned to an ST Industry Index based on which industry they are categorised to by the Industrial Classification Benchmark (ICB). For instance, Singtel, Starhub and M1 which are a part of the FTSE ST All Share Index will make up the FTSE ST Telecommunications Index because these three stocks are categorised to the Telecommunications industry by ICB.

The Industry Index that has the most representation in terms of the number of stocks and the most impact on the FTSE ST All Share Index in terms of Index weighting is the FTSE ST Financials Index. As illustrated below, there are 56 constituents of the FTSE ST Financials Index, followed by FTSE ST Industrials with 43 constituents and FTSE ST Consumer Services with 23 constituents.