Singapore stocks gained for a fourth session on Thursday, led by lenders such as OCBC amidst improved global risk appetite following upbeat Chinese and U.S. economic news.
A survey showed growth in Chinese manufacturing sector unexpectedly accelerated in August, confounding forecasts for a slight slowdown, Reuters reported.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan edged up 0.2 percent.
Wall Street got a boost on Wednesday when data showed the U.S. economy grew at an upwardly revised 3 percent annualized pace in the second quarter.
At 0600 GMT, the Straits Times Index rose 0.41 percent or 13 points to 3,278. It ended 0.49 percent higher on Wednesday, taking the year-to-date gains to about 13 percent.
Lenders such as United Overseas Bank gained 0.9 percent and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp added 1 percent.
Singaporean conglomerate Sembcorp Industries rose nearly 1 percent after increasing its stake in India-focused renewable energy, bringing its total ownership to 100 percent.
Cosco Shipping International gained 2 percent after it received shareholders' approval for the 1.47 billion yuan (S$297.1 million) divestment of its loss-making yard operations.
Among the laggards, Yongnam Holdings, a provider of engineering and construction services, fell about 7 percent despite securing three new contracts worth S$70 million.
Shares in China-based Yangzijiang Shipbuilding fell as much as 7 percent after the company announced placement of up to 137 million shares at a discount to its last traded price.
About 1.4 billion shares worth S$869 million changed hands, with gainers outnumbering losers 163 to 156.
