Singapore shares closed higher for the sixth straight session on Friday, as the artificial intelligence markets gained momentum, following a US and Taiwan trade deal which cut tariffs on the latter's exports.

CityDev, Sembcorp, Kep Infra Tr up around 2%; iFast up 1.7%; SIA Engineering, SATS down over 1%; Seatrium, YZJ Fin Hldg down over 2%.

The Straits Times Index (STI), a key benchmark for the Singapore Exchange, ranged between 4,828.15 and 4,849.10 throughout the day. It ended the session at 4,849.10, up 15.76 points or 0.3% compared to Thursday's close.

Taiwan struck a trade deal with the US, which will reduce tariffs on the island's shipments and increase the latter's investment on US soil.

In economic news, Singapore's non-oil domestic exports, or NODX, grew 6.1% year over year in December 2025, moderating from an 11.1% increase in the preceding month, according to data released by Enterprise Singapore.

In corporate news, shares of Lum Chang surged nearly 10% at the close as the company forecasted a significant improvement in its net profit for the fiscal first half ended Dec. 31, 2025.

Creative Technology rose nearly 3%, as it completed the divestment of certain assets and equity interest in Zeica Labs.

Meanwhile, shares of Keppel were up 1% at the close with the company expanding its powerbank capacity to over 1 gigawatt through the acquisition of lease rights on a 123-hectare site in Victoria, Australia.