Daily Markets Briefing: STI up 0.37%

But expect investors to remain cautious today.

The Straits Times Index (STI) ended 12.11 points or 0.37% higher to 3272.16 on Thursday, taking the year-to-date performance to +13.59%.

The top active stocks yesterday were DBS, which declined 0.44%; Singtel, which gained 0.27%; Rowsley, which declined 4.13%; OCBC Bank, which gained 0.36%; and UOB, with a 1.15% advance.

According to OCBC Investment Research, the U.S. stocks closed slightly lower Thursday, after a session of switching between small gains and losses, during a seasonally low-volume period prone to swings, as investors focused on a symposium of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Meanwhile, ten out of eleven S&P 500 industries finished lower, with Consumer Staples (-1.34%) and Industrials (-0.39%) leading the losses while Health Care (0.28%) gained.

"The continued weakness on Wall Street overnight could cause investors to remain cautious today," the brokerage firm said.