Market View: Asian markets mixed as investors mull extension of ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel for three weeks; Fed, ECB, BoJ, BoE rate decisions due next week; Meta, Microsoft plan cuts, buyouts that may affect 23,000 jobs; S-Reit earnings in focus; ST Engineering, Sheng Siong, CapitaLand Investment to watch

Singapore shares slid today as markets in Asia traded in both positive and negative territories. The Straits Times Index was down 0.7% at 4,909.28 points at 11.44am Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$987.06M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Sheng Siong. The grocery store operator said in response to shareholder queries ahead of its AGM that it sees further room for margin improvement although the Iran conflict could exert “upward pressure on costs and prices”. Elsewhere, from a low down of the latest slew of S-Reit earnings, to how investors are reacting to news that Lebanon and Israel extended their ceasefire for three weeks, more corporate and international headlines remained in focus.  Also on deck, how Meta Platforms and Microsoft are planning cuts or announcing buyouts that could affect as many as 23,000 jobs, part of an effort to streamline operations and offset heavy spending on artificial intelligence. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Benjamin Goh, Head of Research and Investor Education, SIAS.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.