The Singapore stock market was 1.85 per cent higher at 3252.94 points some 45 minutes into trading after the US Federal Reserve surprisingly chose not to ease its purchases of US Treasury and mortgage debt.

However the gains had eased from the 1.95 per cent surge seen soon after the opening bell.

The Singdollar was trading against the greenback at $1.24. The Indonesian rupiah, Malaysian ringgit and Thai baht also strengthened.