Singapore shares rise, avoiding Wall Street's overnight rout

STI edges up 0.2%, with winners on top 338 to 205 Yangzijiang top gainer while DFI Retail leads losers US equities hit as Trump's 'trade reset' rattles investors

- Benjamin Cher

Local shares managed to avoid the bloodletting seen again on Wall Street overnight as fears of an escalating trade war occupied investors in the US.

It was not much of a boost but the Straits Times Index (STI) did manage to eke out a 0.2 per cent rise on March 5 to close up 7.64 points at 3,898.40, with gainers thumping decliners 338 to 205 on trade of 1.5 billion shares worth $1.4 billion.

The local banks were mixed: DBS rose 0.2 per cent to $45.62; OCBC finished flat at $17.17; while UOB fell 0.1 per cent to $38.16.