AsiaPulse News back issues from July 2008:
STOCKS - BSE SENSEX SHEDS OVER 340 PTS - JUNE 30, 2008.
Jul 01, 2008 ... MUMBAI, June 30 Asia Pulse - The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex on Monday fell for the second straight session to a 15-month low of 13,461.60 points, as funds and general investors off-loaded holdings in refinery, bank and realty segments following projections of a fall in economic ...
FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR OPENS WEAKER - JULY 1, 2008.
Jul 01, 2008 ... SYDNEY, July 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar opened weaker today, after reaching a 25-year high overnight, as a better than expected US business conditions survey helped the American currency recover. At 0700 AEST, the Australian dollar was trading at $US0.9584 88, down ...
FOREX - US DOLLAR ENDS DEARER VS INDIAN RUPEE.
Jul 01, 2008 ... MUMBAI, June 30 Asia Pulse - The U.S. Dollar ended dearer against the Rupee at Rs 43.03 per Dollar and the Pound Sterling also finished higher at Rs 85.69 per Pound at the ...
U.S. RECONFIRMS STRONG S. KOREA-U.S. ALLIANCE DESPITE BEEF ROW.
Jul 01, 2008 ... WASHINGTON, July 1 Asia Pulse - The United States Monday reiterated its strong alliance of South Korea despite weeks of street rallies in South Korea against shipments of U.S. beef from older cattle due to concerns over mad cow disease. "We have a longstanding history of ...
INDONESIA, SINGAPORE CONDUCT JOINT INVESTMENT PROMOTION IN JAPAN.
Jul 01, 2008 ... TOKYO, July 1 Asia Pulse - Indonesia and Singapore conducted a joint promotion activity before about 200 Japanese businessmen at a seminar held here on Monday to attract Japanese investors. The joint promotion was held by Indonesia's Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu and her ...
SENIOR SENATOR HINTS AT EARLY DELIBERATION OF KOREA-U.S. FTA.
Jul 01, 2008 ... WASHINGTON, July 1 Asia Pulse - A senior U.S. senator supports congressional consideration of a free trade deal with South Korea if it means resumption of beef exports to the protest-torn nation. "If (the arrangement) gets beef moving into Korea, I'm not going to quibble with ...
BANK OF KOREA CUTS 2008 GROWTH FORECAST, SEES HIGHER INFLATION.
Jul 01, 2008 ... SEOUL, July 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's economic growth is expected to slow to 4.6 per cent this year from 5 per cent in 2007 due to soaring oil costs and sluggish domestic demand, with consumer inflation hitting a 10-year high, the central bank said Tuesday. The growth ...
AUSTRALIAN BOND MARKET OPENS WEAKER - JULY 1, 2008.
Jul 01, 2008 ... SYDNEY, July 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian bond market opened weaker today, moving in an opposite direction to US Treasuries, as a high Eurozone inflation reading pushed local yields higher. At 0830 AEST, the yield on the Commonwealth Government March 2019 bond was at 6.490 per ...
AUSTRALIA'S RBA TIPPED TO LEAVE CASH RATE UNCHANGED.
Jul 01, 2008 ... CANBERRA, July 1 Asia Pulse - Households look set to gain the full benefit of a new round of tax cuts which begin today as the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is widely expected to leave its cash rate unchanged for now. The RBA holds its monthly board meeting later today, and ...
REWARDS FACTORY HAS WEAK DEBUT ON AUSTRALIA'S BOURSE.
Jul 01, 2008 ... MELBOURNE, July 1 Asia Pulse - The Rewards Factory Ltd (ASX:REW) had a negative debut on the Australian stock exchange Monday but is positive about its future. Shares in The Rewards Factory opened at 18 cents per share, two cents below its issue price of 20 cents per share. ...
AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JULY 1, 2008.
Jul 01, 2008 ... SYDNEY, July 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW: - The states warn on carbon trading costs. - Home loan growth hits a 17-year low. - Posco has joined the battle for Macarthur Coal. - The ...
AUSTRALIA'S AGL, ARROW TO SELL NORTH QUEENSLAND GAS PIPELINE.
Jul 01, 2008 ... MELBOURNE, July 1 Asia Pulse - AGL Energy Ltd (ASX:AGL), Australia's largest power retailer, and Arrow Energy Ltd (ASX:AOE) have agreed to sell the North Queensland Gas Pipeline (NQGP) to Victorian Funds Management Corp for $A205 million ($US196.27 million). AGL Energy and Arrow ...
INDIA-US JV DLF PRAMERICA LIFE TO START OPERATION BY SEPT.
Jul 01, 2008 ... NEW DELHI, July 1 Asia Pulse - DLF Pramerica Life Insurance Co Ltd (DPLI), a joint venture between country's leading realty player DLF Ltd (BSE:532868) and US-based Prudential Financial, would start its operation from September. "We will start our business by September. We are ...
INDIA'S FUTURE GROUP PLANS EXPANSION SPREE FOR BIG BAZAAR CHAIN.
Jul 01, 2008 ... NEW DELHI, July 1 Asia Pulse - India's leading retail chain Future Group is going for a major expansion of its Big Bazaar chain of outlets, with the company planning to take the total number of stores to 150 by June 2009. Big Bazaar has presently 92 outlets across the country ...
INDIAN OIL FIRMS LOSE EQUITY IN TWO MYANMAR GAS FIELD BLOCKS.
Jul 01, 2008 ... MADRID, July 1 Asia Pulse - India's Oil and Natural Gas Corp (BSE:500312) and GAIL (India) Ltd's (BSE:532155) equity in two gas rich offshore blocks in Myanmar have been cut following Myanmar's national oil company exercising its 'step-in' rights in the fields, gas from which will be sold ...
TRIUMPH TO SET UP 450 STORES IN INDIA OVER NEXT 5 YEARS.
Jul 01, 2008 ... NEW DELHI, July 1 Asia Pulse - Betting big on the organised retail boom in India, women's inner wear maker Triumph said it will invest up to Rs 2 billion (US$46.6 million) in setting up 450 exclusive stores over the next five years. "Indian organised retail is growing at a very ...
AIR MACAU PROMOTES MACAU AS STAND-ALONE DESTINATION.
Jul 01, 2008 ... TAIPEI, July 1 Asia Pulse - To cope with the new challenges that will arise with the launch of nonstop weekend charter flights between Taiwan and China, Air Macau is ready to promote Macau as a destination in its own right through attractive offers, Jo Wu, manager of the airline's ...
ACUMEN CAPITAL TO INVEST US$ 50 MLN IN INDIA'S MEDIA,TELECOS.
Jul 01, 2008 ... CHANDIGRAH, June 30 Asia Pulse - Private Equity firm Acumen Capital Advisor is looking to invest US$50 million in India's IT, media and telecom companies by the end of December this year. "We have identified technology, media and telecommunications as potential areas where we ...
TYCOON EXPRESSES CONFIDENCE IN TAIWAN'S STOCK MARKET.
Jul 01, 2008 ... TAIPEI, July 1 Asia Pulse - Morris Chang, chairman of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TAIEX:2330), said Monday that government intervention is not an effective way to boost the ailing bourse, and he expressed confidence in the long term prospects of the stock market. ...
INDIA'S CHANNEL PLUS BARRED FROM SUSPENDING SUN TV SIGNAL TO MSO.
Jul 01, 2008 ... NEW DELHI, June 30 Asia Pulse - Indian broadcast tribunal TDSAT on Monday restrained Maran brothers-owned Channel Plus from disconnecting the signals of Sun TV network to Tamil Nadu-based multi-system operator (MSO) till further notice. Admitting the application of the MSO Jak ...
TAIWAN COMMITTEE LAUNCHED TO DEVELOP MORE EQUITABLE TAX SYSTEM.
Jul 01, 2008 ... TAIPEI, July 1 Asia Pulse - The government's tax reform committee will will aim to formulate a system that is fair, highly efficient, simple and can enhance the global competitiveness of local companies, Premier Liu Chao-shiuan said Monday during the launch of the committee. ...
STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN MARKET OPENS LOWER - JULY 1, 2008.
Jul 01, 2008 ... SYDNEY, July 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian share market began the first trading day of the new financial year in the red, as banking stocks fell again on credit concerns. At 1015 AEST the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 5.8 points, or 0.11 per cent, at 5,209.5 and the ...
INDIAN CO ABAN OFFSHORE TERMINATES CONTRACT WITH HUSKY OIL CHINA.
Jul 01, 2008 ... MUMBAI, June 30 Asia Pulse - Offshore drilling and oil field services provider Aban Offshore (BSE:523204) today said it has terminated a US$10.53 million contract with Husky Oil China. In May, the company had received a Letter of Intent from Husky Oil China for a one-well ...
FOREX - RINGGIT CLOSES WEAKER VS US DOLLAR - JUNE 30, 20.
Jul 01, 2008 ... KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 Asia Pulse - The ringgit ended at 3.2640/2670 against the U.S. dollar ...
AUSTRALIA'S ADELAIDE BRIGHTON BUYS CONCRETE PRODUCTS BUSINESS.
Jul 01, 2008 ... SYDNEY, July 1 Asia Pulse - Adelaide Brighton Ltd (ASX:ABC) has acquired Queensland-based concrete products business Hanson Building Products Pty Ltd (HBP) for $A81.0 million ($US77.55 million). The cash purchase and will enhance Adelaide Brighton's C&M Brick concrete products ...
INDIA'S TITAN INDUSTRIES AIMS TO BE BILLION DOLLAR CO END FY 08.
Jul 01, 2008 ... NEW DELHI, July 1 Asia Pulse - On the back of robust growth in jewellery and watches business, Tata group's Titan Industries(US$BSE:500114) is aiming to become a billion dollar company by the end of this fiscal year. The company has also charted out store expansion programs for ...
HONDA INDIA LAUNCHES NEW 125 CC SPORTS BIKE.
Jul 01, 2008 ... NEW DELHI, July 1 Asia Pulse - Aiming to sell one million units in the current fiscal, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India on Monday launched its new 125 cc sports bike in India priced between Rs 47,070 (US$1,097) and Rs 51,655 (Ex-Showroom, Delhi). "We plan to achieve a sale of ...
AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL SERVICES FAILING TO ATTRACT SKILLED WORKERS.
Jul 01, 2008 ... PERTH, July 1 Asia Pulse - Australia's financial services sector is not attracting enough skilled workers to the deteriment of the nation's push to become a global financial services sector, a report finds. It also finds the glass ceiling is detering the retention of talented ...
STOCKS - SEOUL SHARES OPEN HIGHER - JULY 1, 2008.
Jul 01, 2008 ... SEOUL, July 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean stocks opened slightly higher Tuesday as investors picked up auto and shipyard shares, offsetting losses in other energy-related sectors, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 3.02 points, or 0.18 per ...
SINGLE LAB GUAR GUM TEST LEAVES INDIAN EXPORTERS MIFFED.
Jul 01, 2008 ... NEW DELHI, June 30 Asia Pulse - Exporters of food additive, guar gum, have criticised the Indian Commerce Ministry for forcing them to get samples of their shipments to Europe tested by only one source, a Hyderabad-based private laboratory. The Directorate General of Foreign ...
GIRL FOREVER TO SET UP 25 RETAIL OUTLETS IN INDIAN CITIES.
Jul 01, 2008 ... NEW DELHI, July 1 Asia Pulse - Leading girls' wear brand Girl Forever is going for a major expansion in India over the next two years, which will see the company setting up 25 new exclusive outlets in major metros and smaller cities. "The company is looking for an increase in ...
PM SAYS HE BELIEVES IN FUTURE OF AUSTRALIAN COAL INDUSTRY.
Jul 01, 2008 ... CANBERRA, July 1 Asia Pulse - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says he believes in the future of Australia's coal industry, as the debate around climate change hots up. Mr Rudd talked up the future of the industry while speaking in his home state today, saying: "I'm a Queenslander, I'm ...
ABU DHABI TO INVEST US$200 BLN IN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS BY 2030.
Jul 01, 2008 ... ABU DHABI, July 1 Asia Pulse - In line with its strategic plan (2008-2012), the emirate of Abu Dhabi is aiming to create sustainable industrial growth driven by the ongoing economic boom. Utilising the windfall from a five-fold increase in oil prices, the UAE's capital has ...
MOST AUSTRALIANS WANT PETROL INCUDED IN EMISSIONS TRADE SCHEME.
Jul 01, 2008 ... CANBERRA, July 1 Asia Pulse - Most Australians want petrol included in an emissions trading scheme (ETS) - even though many don't know what it is and some have never even heard of it. Three-quarters of respondents in a poll released today said petrol should be included in the ...
HONG KONG NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JULY 1, 2008.
Jul 01, 2008 ... HONG KONG, July 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: - Mainland airlines have won regulatory approval to raise fuel surcharges by as much as 50 per cent, the first adjustment of the levy on domestic flights this year, after ...
INDIAN FIRM IDEA MAKES OFFER FOR FURTHER 20% STAKE IN SPICE COMM.
Jul 01, 2008 ... MUMBAI, July 1 Asia Pulse - Aditya Birla group firm Idea Cellular (BSE:532822) on Monday made an open offer to the shareholders of Spice Communications for acquiring additional 20 per cent stake in the telecom services provider for about Rs 1,06663 million (US$24,857). Idea ...
SRI LANKA INFLATION HITS NEW HIGH OF 28.2% IN JUNE.
Jul 01, 2008 ... COLOMBO, July 1 Asia Pulse - Sri Lanka consumer inflation in the capital Colombo accelerated to a new record of 28.2 per cent in June 2008, from 26.2 per cent in May, the government's statistics office said. In the 30 days to June prices rose 3.7 per cent in the most widely ...
WORLD BANK TO FUND ICADR PLAN TO TRAIN MEDIATORS: LAW MINISTER.
Jul 01, 2008 ... NEW DELHI, June 30 Asia Pulse - The World Bank has agreed to provide funds to the Indian capital-based International Centre of Alternative Disputes Resolution (ICADR) for preparing a business plan and training mediators for settlement of commercial disputes, Law Minister H R Bhardwaj said ...
STOCKS - SRI LANKAN SHARES END WEAKER.
Jul 01, 2008 ... COLOMBO, June 30 Asia Pulse - Sri Lanka's shares ended weaker Monday with Diesel & Motor Engineering (DIMO) and Vallibel Power Erathna being among the most actively traded stocks, brokers said. The all share price index fell 0.51 per cent (12.59 points) to 2,457.84 while the ...
SRI LANKA'S ECONOMY EXPANDS 6.2% IN 2008 FIRST QUARTER.
Jul 01, 2008 ... COLOMBO, July 1 Asia Pulse - Sri Lanka's economy expanded 6.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2008, against 6.1 per cent growth in the same period last year but slower than the 7.6 per cent growth in the fourth quarter of 2007, government data showed. The services sector grew ...
UZBEKTELECOM'S TOTAL 2007 EARNINGS UP 14.6 PCT TO US$136 MLN.(Financial report)
Jul 01, 2008 ... TASHKENT, July 1 Asia Pulse - Uzbektelecom company held a shareholders meeting in Tashkent to consider its 2007 earnings results. The meeting was conducted by Vice Prime Minister of Uzbekistan and chairman of the Uzbektelecom supervisory board, Abdulla Aripov. Uzbektelecom is ...
TAIWANESE GOVT HAS NO PLANS TO FREEZE FUEL PRICES, LOWER EXCISE.
Jul 01, 2008 ... TAIPEI, July 1 Asia Pulse - Taiwan's Minister of Economic Affairs Yiin Chii-ming said Monday that the ministry has no plans to freeze fuel prices and will not lower excise taxes on petroleum-based products for the time being. Yiin's remarks come as the state-owned CPC ...
SURVEY SHOWS TAIWAN'S WORKFORCE UNHAPPY WITH STAGNANT EARNINGS.
Jul 01, 2008 ... TAIPEI, July 1 Asia Pulse - Eighty-eight per cent of Taiwanese workers are dissatisfied with their unchanging earnings as the cost of living increases due to inflation, according to the results of a survey released Monday by an online employment broker. The survey revealed 44.32 ...
JAPAN-INDONESIA ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT TAKES EFFECT.
Jul 01, 2008 ... JAKARTA, July 1 Asia Pulse - Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Kojiro Shiojiri said the Japan-Indonesia Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) could be a model for world economic cooperation, as the two countries have built continuous, profound and close relations and improved a mutually ...
INDIAN STEEL MAGNATE MITTAL JOINS GOLDMAN SACHS BOARD.
Jul 01, 2008 ... LONDON, July 1 Asia Pulse - Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal has joined the board of investment bank Goldman Sachs as an independent director. The company announced Sunday Mittal had joined as an independent director in its audit, compensation and corporate governance, and ...
DRESDNER FORECASTS INDIA'S GROWTH TO DROP TO 7.5 PCT THIS FY.
Jul 01, 2008 ... NEW DELHI, July 1 Asia Pulse - Soaring inflation and high interest rates are expected to take a toll on the Indian economy, which is expected to witness a growth rate of 7.5 per cent this financial year against 9 per cent in 2007-08, according to Germany-based Dresdner Bank. ...
AEGON RELIGARE LIFE INSURANCE APPROVED FOR OPERATIONS IN INDIA.
Jul 01, 2008 ... NEW DELHI, July 1 Asia Pulse - AEGON Religare Life Insurance Co, a joint venture between financial services institutions Religare (BSE:532915) and the Netherlands-based AEGON, was approved Monday by India's Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority (IRDA) to operate in the country's ...
FOREX - US DOLLAR OPENS STRONGER AGAINST WON - JULY 1, 2008.
Jul 01, 2008 ... SEOUL, July 1 Asia Pulse - The US dollar on Tuesday opened at 1,047.3 ...
STOCKS - TOKYO SHARES OPEN HIGHER - JULY 1, 2008.
Jul 01, 2008 ... TOKYO, July 1 Asia Pulse - Tokyo share prices opened slightly higher on Tuesday, with the benchmark ...
S. KOREA'S TRADE BALANCE REVERTS TO DEFICIT IN JUNE.
Jul 01, 2008 ... SEOUL, July 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's trade balance swung back to a deficit in June as exports grew at a much slower pace than imports due to a truckers' strike, a government report showed Tuesday. The country posted a trade deficit of US$284 million in June as exports rose ...
PHILIPPINES' BSP CITES OIL PRICES AS REASON FOR INFLATION RATES.
Jul 01, 2008 ... MANILA, July 1 The record prices of oil, which has reached over $ 140 per barrel, is on top of the reasons cited by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for projecting the June inflation between 10.4 per cent to 11.2 per cent. BSP deputy governor and officer-in-charge Armando ...
AUSTRALIA'S BABCOCK & BROWN WIND ACQUIRES WIND FARMS IN GERMANY.
Jul 01, 2008 ... SYDNEY, July 1 Asia Pulse - Babcock & Brown Wind Partners Ltd (ASX:BBW) has acquired four wind farms located in Germany. The wind farms located in four separate German states have a combined total capacity of 19.6 megawatts The farms are based in the towns of Coswig ...
PHILIPPINES SUPREME COURT TO CREATE SMALL CLAIMS COURT.
Jul 01, 2008 ... MANILA, July 1 Asia Pulse - The Philippines' Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno said the high court is in the process of creating the country's first ever small case claims court. For the past few months, a technical working group of the SC has been working ...
NEW SOUTH WALES NEW HOUSE SALES SLUMP OVER 9% IN MAY.
Jul 01, 2008 ... SYDNEY, July 1 Asia Pulse - The sale of new homes across NSW slumped more than nine per cent during May, new figures show as the Reserve Bank meets today to consider a further rate rise. The Housing Industry Association (HIA) says the sale of new homes in the state dropped 9.4 ...
INVESTMENTS, JOB CREATION FRUITS OF US TRIP: PHILIPPINES' PRES.
Jul 01, 2008 ... BALER, Aurora, July 1 Asia Pulse - Commitments for more investment, job creation and pledges of interest from the American business leaders are only a few of the many positives listed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from her 10-day successful working visit to the United States. ...
NEW U.S. EMBASSY BUILDINGS UNDERWAY IN MANILA.
Jul 01, 2008 ... MANILA, July 1 Asia Pulse - Ground-breaking rites were held yesterday for the commencement of work on new buildings at the US embassy compound in the Philippines capital of Manila. Present at the ceremony with US Ambassador Kristie Anne Kenney were developer Jaime I. Ayala and ...
VIRGIN BLUE, QANTAS GO HEAD-TO-HEAD ON REWARD SCHEMES.
Jul 01, 2008 ... SYDNEY, July 1 Asia Pulse - Virgin Blue(ASX:VBA) today touted the benefits of its traveller rewards scheme ahead of an announcement later today by rival Qantas (ASX:QAN) about changes to its Frequent Flyer program. Virgin Blue said its Velocity Reward program, launched in ...
SINGAPORE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JULY 1, 2008.
Jul 01, 2008 ... SINGAPORE, January 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: BUSINESS TIMES: - It is a sea of red as a slate of listed companies took a battering from the volatile market and chalked up falls in market value as the year hits half-time. - Just after ...
AUSTRALIA'S BUDERIM GINGER EYES LEADING US MACADAMIA PRODUCER.
Jul 01, 2008 ... BRISBANE, July 1 Asia Pulse - Australia is on the brink of reclaiming its native nut. Queensland-based Buderim Ginger Ltd (ASX:BUG) is looking to become one of the world's largest producers of macadamia nuts after entering the first stages of acquiring a leading US nut producer ....
JAL'S HANEDA-HONG KONG CHARTER SERVICE TAKING OFF TUESDAY.
Jul 01, 2008 ... TOKYO, July 1 Asia Pulse - Japan Airlines Corp. (TSE:9205) will launch scheduled chartered service between Tokyo's Haneda airport and Hong Kong, starting today. The move comes in response to a June 2007 deregulation permitting late-night and early-morning international flights ...
TOYOTA TO MAKE, SELL CAMRY HYBRID IN CHINA FROM 2010.
Jul 01, 2008 ... TOKYO, July 1 Asia Pulse - Toyota Motor Corp. (TSE:7203) will begin manufacturing the hybrid version of the Camry sedan in China in 2010, aiming to jump-start sales of environmentally friendly cars there in anticipation of growing demand. The Japanese automaker plans to produce ...
NEC TO LET 90% OF WHITE-COLLAR STAFF TELECOMMUTE.
Jul 01, 2008 ... TOKYO, July 1 Asia Pulse - NEC Corp. (TSE:6701) will give nearly all its white-collar employees the option of working from home starting Tuesday, becoming the latest Japanese electronics company to allow telecommuting. Some 20,000 employees -- 90 per cent of NEC's work force, ...
STOCKS - MALAYSIAN SHARES HIGHER IN EARLY TRADE - JULY 1, 2008.
Jul 01, 2008 ... KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 Asia Pulse - The Malaysian sharemarket was up 0.01 per cent in early trade, with the Kuala Lumpur ...
MATSUSHITA TEAMS WITH 3 CITY GAS FIRMS ON HOUSEHOLD FUEL CELLS.
Jul 01, 2008 ... OSAKA, July 1 Asia Pulse - Ahead of mass production of household fuel cells next year, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (TSE:6752) has joined forces with three city gas companies to secure stable supplies of hydrogen and to set up sales channels, The Nikkei learned Monday. ...
STOCKS - SINGAPORE SHARES UP IN EARLY TRADE - JULY 1, 2008.
Jul 01, 2008 ... SINGAPORE, July 1 Asia Pulse - Singapore shares were higher in early trade, with the Straits ...