Off the wire
• Australian stocks close near seven-year high  • Texas governor stresses border security, education in policy address  • Nikkei climbs to 7-year high on Greece hopes, weaker yen  • FLASH: CONFLICT-RELATED CIVILIAN CASUALTIES RISES 22 PERCENT IN AFGHANISTAN IN 2014 -- UNAMA  • Urgent: Civilian casualties rises 22 pct in Afghanistan in 2014: UN  • New York's Empire State Building lit up for Chinese New Year  • Across China: Sorrows of China's "unconnected group" in Internet age  • China Focus: Chances, challenges as Tibet ushers in extraordinary year  • Hong Kong stocks close 0.19 pct higher  • Trading on Hong Kong Stock Exchange  
You are here: 　 Home

Roundup: Singapore stocks end up 0.58 pct

Xinhua, February 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

Singapore shares closed 0.58 percent higher on Wednesday, after U.S. stocks rose amid optimism over the resolution of Greek debt issue.

Investors bet that the Greek debt impasse is easing. Greece's government may request an extension of its loan agreement for six months, a step that could ease a standoff with creditors over the country's future financing.

Investors will also wait for U.S. data due later in the session including manufacturing and housing-related indicators and minutes of January's Federal Reserve monetary policy meeting.

Voyage Research said "the Straits Times Index is still attempting to break the resistance level at 3,450 points, which we think that perhaps it will be able to do so after Lunar New Year."

The benchmark Straits Times Index rose 19.75 points to close at 3,435.66 points for half-day trading ahead of Lunar New Year holidays. Trading volume was 642 million shares worth 780 million Singapore dollars. Advancers outnumbered decliners 226 to 128, while 582 stocks closed unchanged.

Neptune Orient Lines Limited rose 3 percent to 1.02 Singapore dollars. It said it agreed to sell its APL Logistics division to Japanese freight carrier Kintetsu World Express for 1.2 billion U. S dollars. It said the deal would help the company focus on improving its liner shipping business and balance sheet.

Noble Group Limited advanced 1.9 percent to 1.07 Singapore dollars. It said that it "will fully cooperate with, and fully support" the probe by Monetary Authority of Singapore on the allegations on accounting practices raised by Iceberg Research. It denied that it values its stakes in some associate companies at a value far higher than their current market worth, while adding that Iceberg did not ask it for explanation.

Among the top gainers, Jardine Cycle and Carriage rose 1.7 percent to 42.75 Singapore dollars, while Petra Foods Limited shed 1.5 percent to 4 Singapore dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals to 1.36 Singapore dollars) Endi