Singapore shares close 0.8% lower

SHARES in the local bourse closed lower for the fifth consecutive day with the key Straits Times Index losing 27.4 points or 0.8 per cent to finish at 3,341.3 on Thursday.

Some 1.8 billion shares worth S$1.3 billion were traded versus Wednesday's two billion shares worth S$1.3 million.

Losers trounced gainers with 259 counters down and 188 counters up.