Singapore shares rose about half a percent on Monday, led by blue chips such as DBS Group and techs such as Creative Technology on the back of higher regional markets and strong economic data. The Straits Times Index gained 10.29 points, or 0.51 percent, to 2,038.72, after falling 0.6 percent in the previous two trading days. Overall, gainers led losers 190 to 149 in thin volume of 407 million shares.
Government data showed on Friday manufacturing output up a seasonally adjusted 5.1 percent in October from September, more than triple the expected rise of 1.5 percent and swinging from a revised 0.7 percent fall in September.
That reinforced expectations the economy would rebound in the fourth quarter from a third-quarter contraction.
Among blue chips, banking firm DBS rose 1.3 percent to S$16.00 and Singapore Airlines climbed 1.8 percent to S$11.10.
Computer peripherals maker Creative gained 2.0 percent to S$20.10.
In the region, Hong Kong closed up 1.2 percent, Seoul added 0.9 percent and Japan climbed 1.3 percent.
Dealers said the broader market was slightly weighed down by the suspension in trading on Monday of shares of China Aviation Oil (Singapore) Corp (CAO), which has a monopoly on supplying jet fuel to China, amid speculation the Beijing-backed firm's chief executive may quit.
Brokers reported speculation that chief executive Chen Jiulin could leave the firm, which has suffered several blows this month - from oil trading losses to the collapse of a $221 million bid for a stake in Singapore Petroleum Corp.
SembCorp Industries, which fell 2.0 percent on Friday after saying it would book a S$200 million ($122 million) provision after losing an appeal over a ship conversion contract in a London court, dipped another 3.5 percent to S$1.40.
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