Commodity plays, HPH Trust lift STI

IN A day where Asian stocks broadly rose, including Australian mining and resources stocks, commodity plays Wilmar International and Noble Group lifted Singapore's benchmark Straits Times Index (STI), along with container port owner Hutchison Port Holdings Trust. Banks OCBC and DBS fell.

The STI closed at 3,426.22 points, up 7.05 points or 0.21 per cent, more or less flat for the week. Gainers outnumbered losers 242 to 183. About a billion shares worth S$1.2 billion were traded.

Hutchison topped trading volumes, rising three US cents or 4.5 per cent to US$0.70. The counter was actively traded this week after it unveiled a big impairment charge.