Singapore shares open higher on Thursday

SINGAPORE'S benchmark Straits Times Index opened 18.66 points or 0.6 per cent higher at 3,059.17 on Thursday, extending an overnight rally from Wall Street and Europe's major stock markets.

As expected, the US Federal Reserve's push of its key interest-rate hike towards 2016 and a modest upgrade of its US economic outlook brought cheer to Asian markets.

In Singapore, some 81.5 million shares worth S$71.7 million were traded by 9.03am. Gainers outpaced losers 111 by 33.

Among active stocks, Addvalue Technologies rose 4.17 per cent to 7.5 cents, Ezra gained 1.6 per cent to 12.7 cents, while Noble Group added 0.9 per cent to 54 cents.