SINGAPORE, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Singapore stocks closed higher on Monday, with the benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) going up 0.42 percent, or 10.55 points, to close at 2,543.57.

A total of 1.59 billion shares changed hands with a turnover of 945.55 million Singapore dollars (about 696.64 million U.S. dollars). Gainers outnumbered losers by 220 to 198.

The STI index went up 0.37 percent, or 9.4 points, to close at 2,533.02 on Friday.