Singapore shares close 0.24 per cent up on Thursday

THE Singapore market closed 0.24 per cent higher on Thursday, with the Straits Times Index gaining 6.65 points to 2,773.31 as the price of Brent crude surpassed US$50 a barrel for the first time in nearly seven months.

About 975 million shares worth S$775 million in total changed hands, which worked out to an average unit price of S$0.80 per share.

Oil-and-gas plays Ezra Holdings, Vallianz Holdings and Ezion Holdings featured on the list of the exchange's most heavily traded stocks. The three counters gained 2.9 per cent, 2.6 per cent and 1.9 per cent, respectively.

Gainers outnumbered losers 207 to 180, or about eight up for every seven down.