Singapore shares close up by 0.54% on Monday

ASIAN equities were lifted on Monday by a thaw in trade tensions between the United States and China.

Singapore's Straits Times Index ended up by 18.96 points, or 0.54 per cent, at 3,548.23.

The full bourse saw 1.28 billion shares traded for S$1.04 billion, with losers beating gainers 201 to 193.

Wilmar International, a major soya bean crusher in China, rose by S$0.02, or 0.62 per cent, to S$3.25.

Contract manufacturer Hi-P International, which has factories in China, added S$0.05, or 3.68 per cent, to S$1.41.

Around the region, Tokyo gained 0.3 per cent and Seoul added 0.2 per cent, with Hong Kong up by 0.6 per cent.