Singapore shares open marginally higher on Tuesday

SINGAPORE stocks opened 0.23 per cent higher on Tuesday, with the Straits Times Index adding 6.51 points to 2,858.25 as at 9am.

Wall Street was closed on Monday for the Labour Day holiday. Trading on US markets will resume on Tuesday.

In Singapore, about 41 million shares worth S$65.6 million in total changed hands. Gainers beat losers 61 to 40.

Top stocks by value traded were StarHub, Global Logistic and SGX.Click Here To Register For Free Trial Services OR Give A Missed Call : +6531581402 Follow Us On Twitter : www.twitter.com/epicresearchsg Like Us On Facebook : www.facebook.com/EpicResearchSingapore Need Any Assistance Feel Free To Mail Us at : info@epicresearch.sg

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Stocks to watch: SMRT, Sim Lian, Yangzijiang

THE following companies made material announcements before the opening of Tuesday's market:

SMRT Corporation said that a scheme meeting will be convened on Sept 29, 3.30pm, at The Star Theatre, Level 5 - same day and venue as the NRFF EGM. The latter is the EGM of the company in relation to the proposed sale of its operating assets, in connection with the contemplated transition from the current rail financing framework to the new rail financing framework (NRFF).

The meeting - through a shareholders' vote - will determine if Belford (a 100 per cent owned company of Temasek) will acquire 100 per cent shareholding of SMRT at a scheme price of S$1.68 apiece.

Sim Lian Group (SLG) said that the privatisation offer of the company by Coronation 3G has been declared unconditional.
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Asia: Markets rally as US rate expectations fade

Asian stock markets rallied on Monday as a slowdown in US jobs creation doused expectations for an interest rate hike this month while at the same time showing the world's top economy was still improving.

The much-anticipated reading on Friday showing 151,000 new posts in August was below expectations but indicated hiring remained solid.

Before its release analysts had marked the reading as a guide to the Federal Reserve's plans for monetary policy after the bank's boss Janet Yellen - and later her vice chairman Stanley Fischer - suggested a rate rise could come this year.

While most market-watchers suggested the below-par reading was likely to mean the Fed will hold off moving this month, there are still some who think a hike could still come soon, providing support to the dollar.Click Here To Register For Free Trial Services OR Give A Missed Call : +6531581402 Follow Us On Twitter : www.twitter.com/epicresearchsg Like Us On Facebook : www.facebook.com/EpicResearchSingapore Need Any Assistance Feel Free To Mail Us at : info@epicresearch.sg

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NOL delists from SGX on Monday

NEPTUNE Orient Lines (NOL) shares have been delisted from Singapore Exchange (SGX), with effect from 9.00am on Monday.

France-based CMA CGM said that it has completed the exercise of its rights of compulsory acquisition of all the shares held by NOL shareholders who had not accepted the all-cash voluntary conditional general offer, at a price per share of S$1.30, equal to the offer price.

CMA CGM added that the transfer of all the remaining shares that have been compulsorily acquired has been effected, and that payment for such shares has been despatched.

NOL is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of CMA CGM.

NOL had also on Monday obtained the waivers and approval from SGX for its delisting.Click Here To Register For Free Trial Services OR Give A Missed Call : +6531581402 Follow Us On Twitter : www.twitter.com/epicresearchsg Like Us On Facebook : www.facebook.com/EpicResearchSingapore Need Any Assistance Feel Free To Mail Us at : info@epicresearch.sg

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Seoul: Won, stocks rise as Federal Reserve's Sept rate hike seems unlikely

The South Korean won and shares rose to their strongest in over two weeks early on Monday as weaker than expected US jobs data reduced speculation on an imminent increase in US interest rates.

The won was quoted at 1,109.3 per US dollar as of 0208 GMT, up 0.7 per cent compared to the previous close of 1,117.2.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) was up 0.8 per cent at 2,055.58 points.

The currency and the stocks were both at their strongest since Aug 19 of this year.
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Hong Kong, Shanghai: Stocks rally at open

Hong Kong shares surged more than one per cent in the first few minutes of trade Monday as a slowdown in US jobs creation last month lowered expectations for an interest rate hike this month.

The Hang Seng Index added 1.20 per cent, or 280.29 points, to 23,546.99.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.11 per cent, or 3.36 points, to 3,070.71 and the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, added 0.29 per cent, or 5.90 points, to 2,015.19.Click Here To Register For Free Trial Services OR Give A Missed Call : +6531581402 Follow Us On Twitter : www.twitter.com/epicresearchsg Like Us On Facebook : www.facebook.com/EpicResearchSingapore Need Any Assistance Feel Free To Mail Us at : info@epicresearch.sg

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Australia, NZ dollars inch higher on positive economic news

The Australian and New Zealand dollars edged higher on Thursday as investors focussed on the positives in domestic economic data, though their longer-term direction remained at the mercy of a looming US jobs report.

The Australian dollar crawled ahead to US$0.7538 , from US$0.7520 late Wednesday, but was still down slightly for the week. Support lies around US$0.7490 with resistance at US$0.7580.

Australia's economic data proved a mixed bag but there were enough signs of improvement in business investment to keep the currency underpinned.

While business spending fell 5.4 per cent in the second quarter, firms upgraded their plans for the 2016/17 financial year in a promising sign of a long-awaited pick-up outside of mining.Click Here To Register For Free Trial Services OR Give A Missed Call : +6531581402 Follow Us On Twitter : www.twitter.com/epicresearchsg Like Us On Facebook : www.facebook.com/EpicResearchSingapore Need Any Assistance Feel Free To Mail Us at : info@epicresearch.sg

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South Korea: Stocks near fourth-week low on foreign stock sales

South Korean shares dropped to a four-week intraday low early on Thursday as foreign investors dumped stocks amid uncertainties concerning the US Federal Reserve's next policy decision.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) was down 0.4 per cent at 2,026.29 as of 0230 GMT. The index fell to a low of 2016.47, its lowest since Aug 5, 2016.

The South Korean won edged down and was quoted at 1,118.1, down about 0.3 per cent from Wednesday's close of 1,114.8.

"The possibility of the Fed's rate hike in September will remain quite low unless US August employment data turns out to be unexpectedly strong," said Cho Byung-hyun, a stock analyst at Yuanta Securities.
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Malaysia: Shares open higher on Thursday

MALAYSIA share prices opened higher on Thursday with the FTSE Bursa Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Composite Index up 4.110 points to 1682.350.

Volume was 61.3 million lots worth RM43.9 million.

Losers outnumbered gainers 86 to 81.

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Asia: Markets mostly down but Tokyo soars on weak yen

Tokyo stocks resumed a rally on Wednesday as the yen fell against the dollar on US interest rate talk but most other Asian markets struggled as investors were spooked by the prospects of higher borrowing costs in the world's top economy.

Dollar demand has intensified since Federal Reserve boss Janet Yellen on Friday hinted at a possible hike as data point to continued economic improvement.

Figures showing US consumer confidence at its highest level in almost a year provided further evidence of a brighter outlook.

On Tuesday vice chairman Stanley Fischer told Bloomberg TV that any movement in rates was dependent on data, adding that "employment is very close to full employment".Click Here To Register For Free Trial Services OR Give A Missed Call : +6531581402 Follow Us On Twitter : www.twitter.com/epicresearchsg Like Us On Facebook : www.facebook.com/EpicResearchSingapore Need Any Assistance Feel Free To Mail Us at : info@epicresearch.sg

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South Korea's July factory output rebounds, focus turns to trade

South Korea's industrial output unexpectedly grew in July but the improvement was mainly due to temporary factors, spurring investors to hone in on trade data out on Thursday for further clues on the health of the economy.

In monthly terms, industrial output rose 1.4 per cent in July on a seasonally adjusted basis as production of electronic components and cars boosted activity, data showed on Wednesday.

The median forecast in a Reuters survey of analysts was for output to decline 0.6 per cent from June. June's reading was revised down to minus 0.4 per cent from minus 0.2 per cent estimated earlier.

"We think the bounces in confidence and in IP growth are noise rather than signal and that IP growth remains essentially flat and services are growing around 3 per cent," said Tim Condon, economist at ING. "If IP and services remain at their July level in the remainder of the quarter, we estimate third-quarter growth at 3.0 per cent."Click Here To Register For Free Trial Services OR Give A Missed Call : +6531581402 Follow Us On Twitter : www.twitter.com/epicresearchsg Like Us On Facebook : www.facebook.com/EpicResearchSingapore Need Any Assistance Feel Free To Mail Us at : info@epicresearch.sg

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Hong Kong, Shanghai: Shares open flat

Hong Kong shares were barely moved in the first few minutes of trade Wednesday following the previous day's sharp gains.

The Hang Seng Index edged down 3.92 points, to 23,012.19.

And in Shanghai the composite index was flat, edging down 1.76 points to 3,072.92, while the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, was marginally down, dipping 0.21 points to 2,028.57.Click Here To Register For Free Trial Services OR Give A Missed Call : +6531581402 Follow Us On Twitter : www.twitter.com/epicresearchsg Like Us On Facebook : www.facebook.com/EpicResearchSingapore Need Any Assistance Feel Free To Mail Us at : info@epicresearch.sg

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Seoul: Stocks rise as Fed worries ease; won recovers

South Korean shares rose early on Tuesday on easing concerns of an interest rate increase in the United States as early as September, with buying from offshore investors and domestic institutions underpinning the market.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) was up 0.8 per cent at 2,049.21 points as of 0217 GMT.

Kim Sung Hwan, a stock analyst at Bookook Securities, said that foreign investors are buying the local equities in tandem with the won's bounce from Monday's loss.

The won has been under pressure after hawkish comments from Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen on Friday kept the US dollar well bid.Click Here To Register For Free Trial Services OR Give A Missed Call : +6531581402 Follow Us On Twitter : www.twitter.com/epicresearchsg Like Us On Facebook : www.facebook.com/EpicResearchSingapore Need Any Assistance Feel Free To Mail Us at : info@epicresearch.sg

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Seoul: Won, stocks take breather ahead of Yellen's speech

The South Korean won advanced on local exporters' demand on Friday, but gains were capped as traders looked ahead to a meeting of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with all eyes on a speech by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen.

The won was quoted at 1,114.2 against the US dollar as of 0200 GMT, up 0.2 per cent versus its previous close.

"Trading is expected to be mixed throughout the session on exporters' dollar sales and caution over a US interest rate hike in the near-term," said Jung Sung Yoon, an analyst at Hyundai Futures.

South Korean shares sagged for a third session but like the won, trading was subdued ahead of Ms Yellen's speech later in the day at the annual gathering of central bankers. The focus is on whether Ms Yellen could provide more clarity on US rates outlook for the rest of the year.Click Here To Register For Free Trial Services OR Give A Missed Call : +6531581402 Follow Us On Twitter : www.twitter.com/epicresearchsg Like Us On Facebook : www.facebook.com/EpicResearchSingapore Need Any Assistance Feel Free To Mail Us at : info@epicresearch.sg

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Hot stock: Sheng Siong shares fall on profit taking

SHARES of supermarket chain Sheng Siong Group fell on Thursday following profit taking, with the counter climbing in recent weeks after it posted record margins in its latest results.

The stock was down 2.5 Singapore cents or 2.3 per cent to S$1.055 at 10.46am.

"Investors can consider taking some profits at current share price levels," said an OCBC Investment Research report on Thursday, referring to Sheng Siong's share performance. Shares of Sheng Siong - a top pick for the brokerage - have risen [BUY, S$1.07]6 per cent over the past three trading days.

The brokerage is "neutral" on the consumer sector, noting a subdued outlook for the local macro environment, and on consumer spending. It cited data from Nielsen showing that consumers have reduced certain discretionary expenditures, and some may switch to cheaper grocery brands.Click Here To Register For Free Trial Services OR Give A Missed Call : +6531581402 Follow Us On Twitter : www.twitter.com/epicresearchsg Like Us On Facebook : www.facebook.com/EpicResearchSingapore Need Any Assistance Feel Free To Mail Us at : info@epicresearch.sg

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Singapore shares close up 19 points

THE Straits Times Index on Wednesday closed up 19.14 points at 2,869.57, as bank counters and some defensive stocks continued to be in play.

Some 987.5 million units worth S$838 million changed hands. Gainers exceeded losers in the Singapore market at 236 to 151.Click Here To Register For Free Trial Services OR Give A Missed Call : +6531581402 Follow Us On Twitter : www.twitter.com/epicresearchsg Like Us On Facebook : www.facebook.com/EpicResearchSingapore Need Any Assistance Feel Free To Mail Us at : info@epicresearch.sg

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SGX close to allowing exceptions for dual-class share listings

THE Singapore Exchange's Listings Advisory Committee (LAC) is set to lay out ground rules in the coming weeks that will allow for multiple-class share structures, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The LAC, an autonomous body that provides independent opinions on unusual listing applications for SGX, is expected to allow dual-class structures only when there are compelling reasons to do so, the sources said.

Examples of such reasons would be when there are certain individuals who play indispensable roles in the company, such as the founders of search engine giant Google; or when an uneven ownership structure is long-standing practice.Click Here To Register For Free Trial Services OR Give A Missed Call : +6531581402 Follow Us On Twitter : www.twitter.com/epicresearchsg Like Us On Facebook : www.facebook.com/EpicResearchSingapore Need Any Assistance Feel Free To Mail Us at : info@epicresearch.sg

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HSBC says investors should look at where companies make their revenue

Equity investors who look at indexes based on revenue rather than domicile will discover an entirely different investment universe, according to HSBC.

Global indexes are based on domicile. The MSCI U.K. Index, for example, is composed of companies from the U.K. But as two-thirds of their revenue comes from overseas markets, the index isn't really providing investors with exposure to the U.K., HSBC analysts wrote in a new report.

All the companies in the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.64% are based in the U.S., but more than 40% of the overall revenue is derived from outside the U.S.


See also: Why Marc Faber is calling for an ugly stock-market crash—again

At the same time, companies are inconsistent in their disclosures of where they generate their revenue and accounting rules don’t help. Combined, those factors mean that understanding where revenue is made is a “fertile ground to add value,” they wrote.

Read: Why even the best investing advice may be wrong

“By looking beyond locally listed stocks incorporated in the country benchmark, analysts can broaden the universe of potential investments,” said the report. “This often gives exposure to harder-to-access sectors and countries.” 

The report analyzes 29 major developed and emerging country indexes and outlines ways to play both GDP and currency trends. It found that European companies are the most global, generating almost half their revenue overseas. At a time when global economic growth rates are weak and risk perception high, that has led many European indexes to underperform. Europe’s big exposure to emerging markets (EM) on the other hand, has been a positive, as EM markets have stabilized. 


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Yoma’s 1Q17 earnings drop 28.6% to $1.8 million on softer property-related sales

Myanmar-focused business conglomerate, Yoma Strategic Holdings, reported a decrease in earnings to $1.8 million for the three months ended 30 June 2016 in 1Q17.

Revenue fell 22.4% to $17.6 million in 1Q17 from $22.7 million in 1Q16. The bulk of Yoma’s revenue was driven by the group’s consumer and automotive & equipment businesses, as well as from investment properties, which offset the lower revenue from its sales of residences and land development rights.

Revenue from the group’s non-real estate businesses recorded a 37.2% growth to $9.6 million. The group’s Case New Holland business contributed $5.6 million or 58.6% of its non-real estate revenue. The group’s fleet leasing business expanded to 359 vehicles under lease with growing demand from organisations expanding their operations in Myanmar. The group’s KFC business also continued its growth momentum with two new stores openings in April and June which brought the total store count to six as at end of June 2016.

Other income increased to $11.8 million in 1Q17 from $1.6 million in 1Q16, mainly driven by the fair value gain of $10.3 million from the group’s telecommunications towers investment.

Administrative expenses increased to $12.6 million in 1Q2017 as compared to $8.4 million in 1Q2016. The increase was mainly due to higher staff cost.

“The real estate market remained sluggish but is seeing signs of recovery, and we have received encouraging feedbacks from our recent launch of the townhouses in Pun Hlaing Estate,” says Melvyn Pun, CEO of Yoma.

“The real estate market remains a bit uncertain as the new government introduced its policies for the sector, although there are signs of a recovery from last year’s slow down. I am confident that the long term outlook for the country and its economy, and in turn, Yoma Strategic, remains bright.”

Yoma last traded at 60 cents on Monday.

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AA REIT posts 1Q DPU of 2.75 cents

The manager of AIMS AMP Capital Industrial REIT (AA REIT) has announced a DPU of 2.75 cents for the 1Q ended June, unchanged from the same period a year ago.

Gross revenue came in at $29.2 million in the first quarter, thanks to a property tax refund of $1.1 million. Net property income improved by 1.0% to $20.4 million compared to a year ago while distribution to unitholders was $17.5 million.

CEO Koh Wee Lih of AIMS AMP Capital Industrial REIT Management Limited, AA REIT’s manager, says: “We increased net property income with proactive asset and lease management focused on managing cost while maintaining prudent gearing of 33.1%, and continued on our strategy to unlock organic growth from our portfolio. Our redevelopments at 30 & 32 Tuas West Road and 8 & 10 Tuas Avenue 20 are tracking on time and budget and will further grow our portfolio value upon completion.”

As at end June, approximately 67% of AA REIT’s redevelopment at 30 & 32 Tuas West Road has been completed. Upon completion, the property will boost annual rental income four-fold to $4.15 million which is already 100% pre-committed. Meanwhile, demolition work at 8 & 10 Tuas Avenue 20 will be completed by end of this month, with the target completion in 2H of 2017.

In its outlook, AA REIT, which has a diversified portfolio of income-producing industrial real estate located throughout the Asia Pacific, will continue its proactive approach in managing its assets and leases to help navigate the short-term volatility and these challenging market conditions

Units of AA REIT closed 0.3% higher at $1.465.

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