FTSE STI closed 2,919.30, up 22.87 points or +0.79% with a total volume of 1.70b and a total value of S$1.58b. Total number of advance vs decline was 370 vs 145. Of the 30 component index stocks, 22 closed positive, 6 closed negative and 2 remained unchanged. The top 5 gainer component stocks were :-
1. UOB +0.400
2. KepCorp +0.210
3. SGX +0.170
4. CityDev +0.120
5. OCBC +0.100
5. DBS +0.100
5. Capitaland +0.100
5. F&N +0.100
The top 5 loser component stocks were :-
1. JMH 400US$ -0.540
2. JSH 500US$ -0.040
3. NobleGrp -0.020
4. SIA -0.020
5. Wilmar -0.010
5. HKLand US$ -0.010
US markets closed in the positive, a new 17-month high after US Fed maintained low interest rate for an extended period while waiting for US economy to recover. Asia bourses took the cue and traded in the positive region for the day. Nikkei closed +1.17%, SSE +1.89% and HSI +1.72%. STI gapped up to open above 2,900 and even though it dipped to 2,896.57 due to profit taking, it soon regained the 2,900 level and managed to close +22.87 points at 2,919.30 with bank, offshore/marine and property stocks providing the rally. Investors were buying the blue chips and with volume slowly picking up, there is a tendency foreign funds might be flowing in.
