SINGAPORE, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Singapore stocks closed higher on Friday, with the benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) going up 0.15 percent or 5.13 points to close at 3485.57.

A total of 1.75 billion shares changed hands with a turnover of 1.11 billion Singapore dollars (about 843.7 million U.S. dollars). Gainers outnumbered losers by 247 to 188.

The STI index closed up 0.86 percent or 29.75 points to close at 3480.44 on Thursday. Enditem