Singapore stocks open higher on Thursday

SINGAPORE stocks opened higher on Thursday, with the Straits Times Index advancing 0.2 per cent, or 5.61 points to 3,539.6 as at 9.03am.

This came as Wall Street ended modestly higher overnight, though optimism about upbeat economic data was somewhat offset by concerns about US monetary policy. The Federal Reserve opted to leave interest rates unchanged in January, but signalled it was on course to raise rates in March.

On the Singapore bourse, about 79.1 million shares worth S$127.3 million changed hands.

The field was roughly evenly matched, with 70 gainers to 69 losers.

The most actively traded counters were Thai Beverage, which fell 0.54 per cent, or 0.5 Singapore cent to S$0.915 with 8.5 million shares changing hands; and BlackGold Natural Resources which was up 6.3 per cent, or 0.6 Singapore cent to S$0.10 with 2.82 million shares traded.

Other active index stocks included Keppel Corp which was up 0.58 per cent, or five Singapore cents to S$8.72; and UOB which was up 0.47 per cent, or 13 Singapore cents to S$27.56.