STI climbs 2.5% at close

SINGAPORE stocks reversed course for the fourth time in four days to gain 2.5 per cent, or 72.43 points, for a 2,945.43 close on Thursday following dovish remarks by a US central banker.

About 1.96 billion shares worth S$1.61 billion in total changed hands.

The most actively traded stock was Noble Group, which jumped 6.5 Singapore cents, or 14.4 per cent, to close at 51.5 Singapore cents with 137.4 million shares traded.

The Big 3 banks all rose, with DBS Group Holdings adding 2.5 per cent, or 44 Singapore cents, to finish at S$18.09. OCBC Bank increased by 3.2 per cent, or 28 Singapore cents, to close at S$9.17, while United Overseas Bank headed out at S$19.75 after rising by 2 per cent or 39 Singapore cents.

Gainers outnumbered losers 459 to 61, or about 8 up for every one down.