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SINGAPORE, April 4, 2008 (AFP) - Singapore share prices closed 0.50 percent lower on Friday as investors cashed in gains after three straight positive sessions, dealers said.
They said there was some caution ahead of the release of jobs data in the United States later Friday.
The blue chip Straits Times Index closed down 15.99 points at 3,155.56 on volume of 1.34 billion shares worth 1.56 billion dollars (1.13 billion US).
Rising issues edged decliners 296 to 279 with 1,010 issues unchanged.
Analysts said the index looks well supported as markets appeared to show signs of recovering from a first-quarter slump.
?Negative sentiment is still there but it has diminished slightly,? said Ong Seng Yeow, research head at Kim Eng Securities unit Kelive.
In the banking sector, DBS Group Holdings rose two cents to 19.84 Singapore dollars but United Overseas Bank dropped 14 cents to 20.20 and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp finished eight cents lower at 8.45.
Property stocks were mixed. City Developments fell 24 cents to 12.16 but CapitaLand gained 10 cents to 6.90, while Keppel Land slid five cents to 6.15.
Singapore Airlines rose 14 cents to 16.20, and Singapore Telecommunications fell seven cents to 3.95.
Agribusiness group Wilmar International was a penny lower at 4.31.
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