The STI rose 48 points, or 1.0%, to a record high of 4,877 in Friday morning trading, extending gains from the previous session, following an extended rebound on Wall Street for a second session amid upbeat US economic data and easing geopolitical tensions. Solid macroeconomic data continued to lift sentiment, with preliminary figures showing that the economy grew 4.8% last year, accelerating from 2024. Meanwhile, non-oil domestic exports rose 4.8% in 2025, exceeding official forecasts of around 2.5%. However, traders looked ahead to the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s quarterly monetary policy statement next week for policy guidance, while also awaiting December inflation data later today, with the market expecting it to stand at 1.2%. Consumer and financial sectors mainly drove the index, with notable gains from United Overseas Bank (3.6%), Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp (2.6%), CapitaLand Investment (1.3%), Hongkong Land Holdings (1.2%), and Keppel (1.0%).
