SINGAPORE shares opened 2.9 points, or 0.1 per cent, higher at 2,883.66 on the first trading day of the year.

Some 29.6 million shares worth S$25.2 million changed hands with gainers beating losers 77 to 30, as at 9.02am on Tuesday.

DBS and Ezion Holdings were among the big gainers.

Overnight, major European equity indexes had climbed to new highs in thin trading, with strong manufacturing reports from the region boosting sentiment.