Singapore shares close 1.23% up on Friday

SINGAPORE - Monthly export figures may have helped to propel local stocks upwards on Friday.

The benchmark Straits Times Index ended higher by 41.08 points, or 1.23 per cent, at 3,382.38.

Turnover was almost 2.3 billion shares, worth S$1.29 billion in all.

Gainers outnumbered losers 257 to 181.

The market here recovered from a week in the doldrums, as non-oil domestic exports blew past estimates and jumped 20.9 per cent in October against the same month last year.

It was a good day for all three local banks.

DBS Group Holdings added S$0.79, or 3.39 per cent, to S$24.13, while United Overseas Bank finished higher by S$0.36, or 1.46 per cent, at S$25.06.

OCBC Bank closed up S$0.20, or 1.75 per cent, at S$11.65.