Singapore shares close up 0.82% on Friday

SINGAPORE shares snapped their two-day losing streak on Friday, as the benchmark Straits Times Index finished higher by 29.05 points, or 0.82 per cent, to 3,550.36.

The bourse saw 1.47 billion shares changing hands, for a value of S$1.4 billion in all.

Gainers beat losers 271 to 165.

One stock driving the index upward was Sembcorp Industries, which rose by S$0.14, or 4.31 per cent, to S$3.39, on a volume of 14.93 million shares.

The market had been all agog over rumours of plans to pursue the initial public offer of a unit in India.

Taxi company ComfortDelGro added S$0.06, or 2.99 per cent, to S$2.07, on a turnover of 20.45 million shares.

Elsewhere on the bourse, casino operator Genting Singapore ticked up by S$0.01, or 0.76 per cent, to S$1.33, as 18.44 million shares changed hands.