Singapore shares open flat on Friday

SINGAPORE stocks opened flat on Friday, with the Straits Times Index shedding a marginal 0.56 points to 2,804.92 as at 9.02 am.

The blue-chip index was unaffected ahead of the release of Chinese consumer and producer price data.

About 118.7 million shares worth S$271.6 million in total changed hands in the first couple of minutes, which worked out to an average unit price of S$2.29 per share.

The most actively traded counter was Noble Group, which rose S$0.005 to S$0.178 with 46.5 million shares changing hands. Other actives included China Medical International and Singtel.

Gainers outnumbered losers 74 to 54, or about four up for every three down.