Singapore stocks close week on a soft note despite banks propping STI up

THE 30-stock Straits Times Index fell for three of the five days this week, though on Friday gains in the banks helped it record a 6.43-point rise to 3,220.25 that enabled it to register an 11-point or 0.3 per cent rise for the week.

Friday's session was actually weak, with the whole market chalking up 165 rises versus 229 falls. Turnover was a disappointing 1.4 billion units worth S$1.02 billion.