Hong Kong, Shanghai: Stocks open higher

HONG KONG Shares rallied in Hong Kong Tuesday morning after a top Federal Reserve official tempered comments from two colleagues on the possibility of a US rate hike this month.

The Hang Seng Index added 1.17 per cent, or 273.53 points, to 23,564.13.

And the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index added 0.10 per cent, or 3.05 points, to 3,025.03 while the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, gained 0.54 per cent, or 10.71 points, to 1,987.77.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: Yoma Strategic, Oceanus, Del Monte Pacific

THE following stocks made announcements after Thursday's market close that could affect its trading on Friday:
Yoma Strategic said its subsidiary, Convenience Prosperity Company Ltd (CPCL), has been appointed by J C Bamford Excavators as the exclusive distributor for the Myanmar market. The partnership is important at a time when infrastructure and construction activities are accelerating across the country, said its CEO Melvyn Pun.

Seafood supply chain manager Oceanus Group has signed a binding term sheet with two of three of its key creditors for a proposed debt restructuring, which may greatly reduce its total outstanding debt balance. The total debt balance, including accrued interest, held under the two key creditors, Ocean Wonder International and BW Investment, amounts to S$71.85 million, representing 82.8 per cent of Oceanus's outstanding debts.

Del Monte Pacific narrowed its first quarter loss to US$8.7 million, from US$10.7 million a year ago, on lower operating expenses as a result of a restructuring that started last year. The group's revenue shrank 2.8 per cent to US$465.5 million from the preceding 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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Hong Kong, Shanghai: Stocks down at open

Shares in Hong Kong and Shanghai dipped in the first few minutes on Thursday as investors await the release of closely watched Chinese trade data later in the day.

The Hang Seng Index fell 0.16 per cent, or 36.85 points, to 23,704.96.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index edged down 0.06 per cent, or 1.98 points, to 3,089.95, while the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, slipped 0.07 per cent, or 1.44 points, to 2,043.11.
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Australia shares up, aided by solid GDP data; NZ hits a record

Australian shares rose on Wednesday, tracking Wall Street, while data at home showing the economy last quarter expanded at its fastest annual pace in four years helped buoy sentiment.

The S&P/ASX 200 index was 10.8 points, or 0.2 per cent, higher at 5,424.4 at 0307 GMT.

The benchmark gained as much as 0.5 per cent after the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported gross domestic product (GDP) in April-June rose 3.3 per cent from a year earlier, just short of market forecasts but up from around 2.9 per cent in the previous quarter.

On Tuesday, the benchmark lost 0.3 per cent after the country's central bank held interest rates at a record low as expected, but provided no clues for future easing.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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Asia: Stocks hit 1-year high as soft US data quells Fed hike talk

The US dollar took a tumble and Asian stocks rose to one-year highs on Wednesday after surprisingly weak US services sector activity put paid to already slim chances of an interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve as early as this month.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.4 per cent, extending its chunky gains of 2.7 per cent over the last two days, to claim a level last seen in July last year.

"When people think there's no immediate rate hike from the Fed, then Asia and emerging markets are the place to go to, as investors seek yields," said Toru Nishihama, senior economist at Dai-ichi Life Research.

Japan's Nikkei slid 0.7 per cent, however, as the yen gained sharply versus the US dollar, putting more pressure on exporters in the world's third-largest economy.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: Vallianz, Jasper, CIT, Nico Steel

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

Vallianz Holdings has requested for a halt in the trading of its shares, before the opening of Monday's market, citing "pending release of announcement".

Last week, Vallianz said that certain entities within the group have recently received letters from the interim judicial managers (IJMs) of Swiber Holdings and Swiber Offshore Construction (SOC), requesting payments totalling about US$63.5 million, which the IJMs claim to be funds owed to Swiber and SOC.

Vallianz has declined to make such payments, and said it is awaiting a response from the IJMs, and will make further announcements when appropriate.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 shares languish ahead of US payrolls; NZ slightly lower

Australian shares lost ground for a third consecutive session on Friday as apprehension mounted around potentially robust US jobs data, expected later in the day, which could bolster the argument for a US Federal Reserve rate rise in the near term.

The market also took cues from overnight moves on Wall Street, where stocks were flat with gains in the tech sector offsetting a disappointing US factory activity report and lower oil prices.

The S&P/ASX 200 index shed 52 points, or one per cent, to 5364.1 by 0316 GMT. The benchmark finished 0.3 per cent lower on Thursday.

Strength in the US labour market has inspired hawkish comments from some Federal Reserve officials of late, with vice chair Stanley Fischer and Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester both hinting at an imminent rate hike.
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Taiwan: Stocks fall; tech, shipping counters help limit losses

Taiwan stocks fell on Friday in keeping with nervousness in some overseas markets, but losses were limited as key technology and shipping stocks rose.

Some Asian shares were weak on uncertainty over the potential for a strong US nonfarm payrolls number later in day - and with it an elevated chance of a Federal Reserve rate hike soon.

As of 0230 GMT, the main Taiex index fell 0.5 per cent to 8,960.75, after closing down 0.8 per cent in the previous session.

The electronics subindex sank 0.8 per cent, while the financials subindex lost 0.2 per cent.
But some share gains were coming on back of troubles at rival companies that could bolster business for the Taiwanese listed firms.

Shares in Hon Hai Precision were up 1.5 per cent. Hon Hai is a major assembler for Apple Inc's popular iPhones, and the latest version of iPhones are expected to launch later this month and compete with smartphones by rival Samsung Electronics Co.
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Seoul: Won edges up ahead of US August non-farm payrolls report

The South Korean won inched up early on Friday in cautious trade ahead of the much-awaited August US non-farm payrolls report later in the day - which could give a clearer view on a potential Fed rate hike.

The won was quoted at 1,119.1 as of 0155 GMT, up 0.3 per cent compared with Thursday's close of 1,122.1.

News that a gauge of US national factory activity fell in August for the first time in six months added to the tentative mood.

"The dollar weakened broadly on the weak factory data but cautious investor environment is keeping the won from extending gains," said Jeong My-young, a foreign exchange analyst at Samsung Futures.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: Stocks open higher

Hong Kong stocks rose in the first few minutes of trade Friday as investors brushed off a shock dip in US manufacturing activity and looked ahead to the release of jobs data later in the day.

The Hang Seng Index added 0.33 per cent, or 76.02 points, to 23,238.36.

But the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.19 per cent, or 5.82 points, to 3,057.49 and the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, edged down 0.15 per cent, or 3.05 points, to 2,014.41.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: Telcos fall on potential entry of 4th operator

SINGAPORE'S telcos fell on Friday after three firms formally submitted their bids to take part in an airwaves auction that could lead to the nation's fourth telco.

By 9.15am, Singtel was down seven cents to S$3.90 or 1.8 per cent; StarHub was down 15 cents to S$3.48, or 4.1 per cent; M1 was down 16 cents to S$2.50, or 6 per cent.

All three were among the top 10 stocks by value traded.

The contenders are newly formed company airYotta Pte Ltd; fibre broadband services provider MyRepublic; and TPG Telecom, a provider of telco services in Australia.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 open 0.3% down on Friday as traders await US jobs data

SINGAPORE stocks opened 0.3 per cent lower on Friday, with the Straits Times Index dropping 9.23 points to 2,807.24 as at 9am.

Traders are watching the release of US jobs data later tonight, as strong job gains will increase the certainty for a September rate hike.

"We expect that the solid pace of gains in recent months continued in August, and payrolls could have advanced by 225,000 in the month," said a Societe Generale research report.

In Singapore, about 49.5 million shares worth S$58.2 million in total changed hands, which worked out to an average unit price of S$1.18.

The field was evenly matched, with as many gainers as losers at 54 each.

Top stocks by value traded were Singtel, SGX, SIA, Thai Beverage and Hongkong Land.

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Taiwan: Stocks dip to over one-week low; financial shares drop

Taiwan stocks fell on Thursday, tracking declines in overseas markets, with selling led by heavyweights in the financial sector.

Shares in Mega Financial Holding Co Ltd, which closed down for nine in 10 trading sessions, slipped 1.9 per cent early in the trade, following its chairman's resignation on Wednesday.

Shiu Kuang Si resigned from all his positions at the Taiwanese financial firm after its banking unit was fined last month for breach of anti-money laundering regulations in New York.

As of 0225 GMT, the main Taiex index dropped as much as 0.9 per cent to 8,980.21, to hit the lowest since August 22. The bourse closed down 0.5 per cent in the previous session.

The electronics subindex lost 0.5 per cent, while the financials subindex sank 1.1 per cent.

The Taiwan dollar firmed NT$0.013 to T$31.713 per US 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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Singapore shares open 0.1% up on Thursday

SINGAPORE stocks opened 0.1 per cent higher on Thursday, with the Straits Times Index advancing 2.11 points to 2,822.7 as at 9.01am.

Markets are in wait-and-see mode ahead of US jobs data to be released on Friday night, Asia time.

In Singapore, about 50.7 million shares worth S$90.4 million in total changed hands, which worked out to an average unit price of S$1.78. The field was evenly matched, with as many gainers as losers at 53 each.

The most actively traded counter was Noble, which fell S$0.002 to S$0.117 with 5.8 million shares changing hands.

Other actives included Golden Agri-Resources and Charisma Energy.

Top stocks by value traded were Singtel, DBS, Jardine Matheson, Keppel Corp and OCBC.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 tread water; major economies' data awaited

The South Korean won and shares made only small moves early on Wednesday, with many investors staying on the sidelines as views on how soon US interest rates will rise changing often.

The won stood at 1,116.7 as of 0214 GMT, up 0.3 per cent from Tuesday's close of 1,119.9.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) was down 0.3 per cent at 2,034.60 points.

Jung Sung-yoon, a foreign exchange analyst at Hyundai Futures, expects moves could get sharper as economic indicators from major economies including the US and China come out in the near future.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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Oil heads for biggest monthly gain since April before Opec talks

Oil is poised for the biggest monthly advance since April amid speculation informal talks among Opec members in Algeria next month may result in action to stabilise the market.

Futures slid 0.3 per cent in New York, trimming the monthly gain to 11 per cent. Iraq would support a proposal for the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other major producers to freeze output, Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi said in Baghdad.

US crude stockpiles increased by 942,000 barrels last week, the industry-funded American Petroleum Institute was said to report. Government data due Wednesday is forecast to show a 1.3 million build.

Oil entered a bull market Aug 18, less than three weeks after tumbling into a bear market. A cap on production would be positive for the market, Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih said in an interview last week, while ruling out a cut to output. A deal to freeze supply was proposed in February but a meeting in April ended with no final accord.
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Tokyo: Shares edge lower as soft data offsets weak yen

Tokyo shares ended slightly lower on Tuesday as tepid data and profit-taking from the previous day's sharp jump offset a weaker yen.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index slipped 0.07 per cent, or 12.13 points, to close at 16,725.36, while the broader Topix index of all first-section shares ticked down 0.03 per cent, or 0.43 point, to 1,312.81.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 shares bounce on Wall Street, financials lead; NZ stocks up

Australian shares bounced on Tuesday, supported by overnight strength on Wall Street and upbeat US consumer spending data, with gains in the financial sector leading the way.

The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 28.2 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 5497.6 by 0245 GMT, after hitting its lowest in over a month in the previous session due to concerns of a near-term US interest rate hike.

But strong US consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of US economic activity, lifted the mood.

Investors are now turning their attention to US payroll data later on Friday to gauge if the Federal Reserve might be in a position to raise rates before year-end.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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Oil prices rise as US dollar retreats from two-week high

Oil futures edged up on Tuesday as the US dollar erased earlier gains, but doubts that producers would be able to agree to an output freeze continued to drag on prices.

International Brent crude oil futures were trading at US$49.34 per barrel at 0125 GMT, up 8 US cents from their previous close.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 15 US cents at US$47.13 a barrel.

The US dollar retreated from Monday's two-week high as investors looked ahead to jobs data this week that Federal Reserve Vice Chair Stanley Fischer has said will be important to whether the US central bank raises interest rates soon.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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Asia: Most markets slump, Tokyo soars on US rate talk

Japanese stocks rallied on a weaker yen but other Asian markets retreated Monday after Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen hinted at a US interest rate hike by the end of the year.

In a much-anticipated speech Friday Yellen said a pick-up in the world's top economy and an improvement in the jobs market meant "the case for an increase in the federal funds rate has strengthened in recent months".

While there is speculation rates could rise as early as next month, most experts had said that is unlikely and that December or February would be safer bets.

Yellen did not give a timeframe during her speech at the annual Jackson Hole symposium of global central bankers, but Fed vice chairman Stanley Fischer later said September was a possibility.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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