Singapore shares up 0.7% on Friday, flat on the week

THERE was a sense of measured optimism in regional markets on Friday, after slight gains on Wall Street and no major developments on the trade front.

Asian markets were propped up by reports China has offered to waive tariffs on some imports of US soybean and pork, and US factory orders rebounding in October.

Singapore's Straits Times Index (STI) extended gains from Thursday to close the week at 3,194.71, jumping 20.52 points or 0.7 per cent.