FTSE STI closed 2,693.38, up 35.17 points or +1.32% with a total volume of 1.24b and a total value of S$1.24b. Total number of advance vs decline was 351 vs 147. Of the 30 component index stocks, 26 closed positive, 2 closed negative and 2 remained unchanged. The top 5 gainer component stocks were :-
1. Jardine C&C +0.400
2. DBS +0.340
3. SIA +0.260
4. UOB +0.240
5. Wilmar +0.200
The 2 loser component stocks were :-
1. SingTel -0.030
2. SPH -0.010
US markets closed positive last Friday despite a worse than expected unemployment rate data of 10.2% as compared with previous value of 9.8%. Asia bourses were traded in narrow range in the earlier part of the day until in the afternoon session when DJ future signals a positive value coupled with European markets opened firmly in the positive then buying were detected. Nikkei closed +0.20%, SSE +0.37% and HSI +1.73%. STI closed +1.32% at day high value with investors snapping up the blue chips like banks, commodity and offshore/marine in the late session. Property stocks however were a bit on the weak side as investors were worried of possible property bubble forming.
