Daily Markets Briefing: STI up 0.4%

Banks were the most active stocks.

The Straits Times Index (STI) ended 14.59 points or 0.44% higher to 3353.45 yesterday, taking the year-to-date performance to -0.35%.

The top active stocks were DBS, which gained 0.85%, Singtel, which gained 0.70%, OCBC Bank, which gained 1.28%, UOB, which gained 0.30% and SGX, with a 2.08% advance.

The FTSE ST Mid Cap Index gained 0.40%, while the FTSE ST Small Cap Index rose 0.54%.

The outperforming sectors were represented by the FTSE ST Health Care Index, which rose 2.69%. The two biggest stocks of the Index - Raffles Medical Group and Tianjin Zhongxin Pharmaceutical Group Corporation- ended 4.93% higher and 5.26% higher respectively.

The underperforming sector was the FTSE ST Technology Index, which slipped 1.79%. Silverlake Axis shares declined 2.86% and STATS ChipPAC remained unchanged.