STI closes flat with an upward bias

IT'S now the fresh crisis in Iraq, the world's second largest oil producer, that is rattling investor sentiment amid concerns that it could have widespread consequences.

But for yesterday, the Singapore bourse and its regional peers shrugged off these concerns and chose instead to focus on some upbeat Chinese data.

The Straits Times Index ended yesterday flat, up by a measly 0.24 point at 3,293.25.

Some other major Asian benchmarks closed higher with Japan's Nikkei up 0.8 per…