Singapore shares open 0.3% down on Friday as traders await US jobs data

SINGAPORE stocks opened 0.3 per cent lower on Friday, with the Straits Times Index dropping 9.23 points to 2,807.24 as at 9am.

Traders are watching the release of US jobs data later tonight, as strong job gains will increase the certainty for a September rate hike.

"We expect that the solid pace of gains in recent months continued in August, and payrolls could have advanced by 225,000 in the month," said a Societe Generale research report.

In Singapore, about 49.5 million shares worth S$58.2 million in total changed hands, which worked out to an average unit price of S$1.18.

The field was evenly matched, with as many gainers as losers at 54 each.

Top stocks by value traded were Singtel, SGX, SIA, Thai Beverage and Hongkong Land.