Market Update: STI inches up 0.22%

The Straits Times Index (STI) closed on Thursday up by 7.13 points or 0.22% at 3,186.52.

Top performers for the day were SembCorp Industries, with $1.97 or 3.14% in gains, ComfortDelGro which increased by 1.14% or $1.78, and DBS Group which went higher by 0.84% or $28.93.

About 1.56-billion securities worth $1.12b changed hands, with stock advancers outnumbering decliners, 236 to 226.

On Wall Street, the S&P 500 and Dow Industrial indexes hit record highs on upbeat earnings, as well as a strong rebound in March retail sales.

The S&P 500 climbed by 1.11% or 45.76 points to 4,170.42. The Dow Jones Industrial went up by 0.90% or 305.10 points, closing at 34,035.99, whilst the NASDAQ climbed by 180.92 points or 1.31% to14,038.76.

Meanwhile, the London blue-chip index rose to its highest level since February 2020 as a surge in metals prices lifted shares of several companies.

The FTSE 100 closed up by 0.63% or 43.92 points ending at 6,983.50. FTSE 250 also went higher by 116.59 points or 0.52% closing at 22,472.04.