For the 5 trading sessions that spanned Jul 15 to 21, the Straits Times Index (STI) gained 2 per cent, with the FTSE China A50 Index declining 3.5 per cent, the Hang Seng Index declining 1.7 per cent and the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI gaining 1.3 per cent.  

Overall, institutions were net buyers of Singapore stocks over the 5 sessions with S$65 million of net inflow, following on from S$38 million of net inflow for the preceding 5 sessions. UOB, Singapore Airlines, Singtel, Jardine Matheson Holdings and Genting Singapore led the net institutional inflows for the 5 sessions through to Jul 21.

Share buybacks

There were just 7 primary-listed stocks conducting share buybacks over the 5 sessions ending Jul 21, with a total consideration of S$1.76 million. Yangzijiang Financial Holding led the consideration tally, buying back shares at 40.0 cents per share on Jul 15 and 18. This took the total number of shares bought on its buyback mandate to 19 million shares, representing 0.48 per cent of the company’s issued shares excluding treasury shares. The share buyback resolution was approved by shareholders on Jun 8, with Yangzijiang Financial Holding establishing the S$200 million share buyback programme to increase shareholder value and improve the return of equity of the group.

Director and substantial shareholder transactions 

With earnings season fast approaching, the 5 trading sessions saw just 40 changes to director interests and substantial shareholdings filed for 17 primary-listed stocks. This included 5 company director acquisitions with no disposals filed, while substantial shareholders filed 7 acquisitions and 2 disposals. 

PropNex

Between Jul 18 and 19, PropNex executive director Kelvin Fong Keng Seong acquired 72,100 shares of the company, for a consideration of S$109,592 at S$1.52 per share. This took his deemed interest in PropNex from 8.73 per cent to 8.75 per cent. His preceding acquisitions were between Jun 16 and 17, with 101,100 shares acquired at S$1.63 per share and between May 24 and 26, with 300,000 shares acquired at S$1.70 per share.  Fong has gradually increased his deemed interest in PropNex from 7.63 per cent in February 2019. He oversees the group’s training development curriculum and also administers the development of IT strategies and technology innovations to improve the group’s competitive edge in the industry.

P5 Capital Holdings 

Between Jul 15 and 19, P5 Capital Holdings executive director Leow Sau Wan acquired 3,211,700 shares of the Catalist-listed company at 2.5 cents per share. With a consideration of S$80,046, this took Leow’s direct interest in the company to 0.29 per cent. For its FY22 (ended Mar 31) P5 Capital Holdings reported its revenue increased 51 per cent from FY21, to S$7.2 million, mainly due to contributions from the lifestyle business which represented 91 per cent of the group’s revenue. 

Asian Pay Television Trust

On Jul 14, non-executive director and vice-chair of the Trustee-Manager of Asian Pay Television Trust, Lu Fang-Ming, acquired 300,000 units of the business trust for a consideration of S$36,500. At an average price of 12.2 cents per unit, this increased Lu’s total interest in APTT from 1.02 per cent to 1.04 per cent. His preceding acquisitions, between Sep 23 and 27, 2021 saw Lu acquire 1,888,400 units of the business trust for a consideration of 13.0 cents per unit. Lu has also been a corporate executive vice president of Hon Hai/Foxconn Technology Group since the ODM manufacturing company he co-founded was acquired by Hon Hai/Foxconn Technology Group in May 2000. 

iWOW Technology

On Jul 19, iWOW Technology : NXR 0% substantial and controlling shareholder Kau Wee Lee acquired 40,000 shares of the recently Catalist-listed company at an average price of 21.6 cents per share. Kau maintains a 47.00 per cent direct interest in the technology provider, with a 1.90 per cent deemed interest due to shares held by her husband, Soo Kee Wee. 

Inside Insights is a weekly column on The Business Times, read the original version