4 stocks to watch on Monday: VZ, META, LLY, and XYZ

On Monday (Oct 26), Singapore's stock market closed 0.1% lower, with the Straits Times Index (STI) falling 6.25 points to 5,415.91. Hongkong Land was the top gainer, up 2.2% to US$8.38. Among the blue-chip index constituents, Sembcorp Industries was the worst performer, down 2.8% to S$5.84. Local banks DBS, OCBC, and UOB all ended lower.

Across the broader market, gains and losses were evenly matched with 252 stocks each. The most actively traded stock was CapAllianz, with 91.9 million shares exchanged. DBS had the highest trading value at S$174.8 million. Regional indices fared mixed, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index up 0.5%, Japan's Nikkei 225 down 0.8%, South Korea's Kospi fell 1.5%, and Malaysia's KLCI declined 0.5%.

Analyst Nigel Green of deVere Group noted that Brazil's recent election, where incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva secured a surprising victory, could offer insights into bond markets' tolerance for fiscal looseness amidst high government debt. Green suggested that political surprises can quickly reprice an asset class and currency fluctuations may erode gains made abroad, advising investors to diversify exposure across regions and currencies.