Local market has busy but flattish session

SINGAPORE equities stayed sluggish on Thursday, in spite of a late push by traders that gave the benchmark index a measure of stability.

The bourse's losers beat gainers 244 to 180, while the Straits Times Index (STI) saw a tiny gain of 2.01 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 3,570.02, after traders had a last-minute confidence rally.

Singapore-based CMC Markets sales trader Oriano Lizza noted that, recent slide notwithstanding, the index has "maintained its position above the 3,500 psychological barrier".