STI leaps as HK stocks, US futures, oil rise

THE Straits Times Index on Tuesday jumped 36.68 points or 1.4 per cent to 2,644.58, in line with gains in Hong Kong and China stocks and the Dow futures, and a rise in oil price to above US$30 per barrel. Turnover was a robust 1.1 billion units worth S$1.44 billion, with an advance-decline score of 262 to 132 excluding warrants.

The rise was led by heavyweights DBS, OCBC and Singtel, while UOB ended weaker. Offshore and marine (O&M) counter Ezra was the day's most active stock when it rose S$0.003 to S$0.052 on volume of 54.2 million.

Elsewhere in the O&M sector, Sembcorp Marine (SMM) ended S$0.11 higher to S$1.57 on volume of 8.6 million. The company on Monday reported a Q4 loss of S$537 million.