Daily Markets Briefing: STI up 0.5%

Trade war jitters will continue to weight on local sentiment.

The Straits Times Index (STI) ended 16.08 or 0.5% higher at 3,200.64.

The top active stocks were DBS, which rose 0.62%, UOB, which inched up 0.12%, Singtel, which climbed 0.99%, Genting Sing, which remained unchanged, and YZJ Shipbuilding with a 1.42% advance.

The FTSE Mid Cap rose 0.33% whilst the FTSE Small Cap grew 0.64%.

According to OCBC Investment Research (OIR), US stocks closed lower Thursday as investors focused on US-China trade tensions which reflect widespread worries over slowing global economic growth.

Nine out of eleven S&P 500 industries ended lower, led by Energy (-2.13%) and Information Technology (-1.44%). 

"Today's tone is likely to remain cautious as trade war jitters resurface," OIR said.