Singapore Shares Rise Nearly 1% on US-Iran Ceasefire Deal; HS Optimus Surges 17%
Singapore shares surged nearly 1% at the close of trading on Friday, tracking broader regional gains, as investor sentiment received a boost from the US and Iran reaching a preliminary deal to extend a ceasefire by 60 days.The Straits Times Index (STI), a key benchmark for the Singapore Exchange, ranged between 5,009.77 and 5,041.11 throughout the day. It ended the session at 5,037.86, up 48.67 points or nearly 1% compared to Thursday's close.In economic news, Singapore's manufacturing prices continued to surge in April, backed by strong performances across the oil and non-oil indices, the city-state's Department of Statistics reported.Meanwhile, Singapore's Export Price Index rose 13.3% year on year in April, following an 8.7% rise in the preceding month, the city-state's Department of Statistics reported.On the corporate front, shares of HS Optimus (SGX:504) surged nearly 17% at the close as it booked an attributable profit to owners of SG$4.1 million during the fiscal second half ended March 31, against an attributable loss of SG$815,000 a year earlier.Mooreast (SGX:1V3) shares closed nearly 18% higher as it signed a placement agreement with ZICO Capital to raise around SG$6 million through the placement of up to 44.5 million shares at SG$0.135 per share.Meanwhile, shares of Beng Kuang Marine (SGX:BEZ) were up nearly 2% at the close after it issued 57.1 million shares at SG$0.35 per share to ISUSTAINABILITY and SPPG, in connection with the acquisition of the remaining 49% stake in Asian Sealand Offshore and Marine.