STI +0.2% to 3,164.19 at 9:32 a.m., bucking negative overseas cues; blue chips lead market, dominating top actives, likely due to end-month buying as funds pad out portfolios.

Only 275 million shares traded worth hefty $839 million; market breadth evenly matched. However, CIMB says: “there should still be room on the downside for the index,” after STI traded in tight range yesterday “with the bulls trying to push prices back above its channel support turned resistance as well as its 50-day SMA (around 3,172 last close) but to no avail.”