CHINESE private manufacturing purchasing managers' index figures for February and US economic growth data for Q4 - both of which beat expectations - lifted the spirits of investors worried about the global economic outlook. Optimistic comments from White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow also lifted sentiment.

Investors were still cautiously waiting for further developments after the abrupt ending of the Trump-Kim summit in Vietnam and updates of China-US trade talks, even as India-Pakistan relations were in their peripheral vision.

In Singapore, the Straits Times Index (STI) added 7.71 points or 0.2 per cent to close at 3,220.40. But the blue-chip index dipped 49.5 points or 1.5 per cent from last Friday's closing of 3,269.90.