SINGAPORE, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Singaporean stocks closed higher on Friday, with the benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) went up 0.22 percent or 7.88 points to close at 3520.56.

A total of 2.44 billion shares changed hands with a turnover of 1.23 billion Singapore dollars (about 927.2 million U.S. dollars). Gainers outnumbered losers by 285 to 176.

The STI index closed down 0.22 percent or 7.77 points to close at 3,512.68 on Thursday.