Singapore shares continue to build on gains

THE rally in Asian markets continued to build up on the back of improving prospects of a US-China trade deal even though IMF chief Christine Lagarde warned of slower growth in many economies.

Strong Australian retail and trade data also contributed to the improved sentiment across Asia, CMC Markets' market analyst Margaret Yang said.

In Singapore, the Straits Times Index (STI) extended the week's rally to close at 3,311.27, up 31.49 points or 0.96 per cent - a fresh year-to-date high for benchmark index.