SG Morning Call | Singapore Stocks Open Higher; Singapore to Review COE Categories for Cars
Market Snapshot
Singapore stocks opened higher on Thursday. STI rose 1%; NIO rose 5%; ST Engineering rose 3%; Kepple, SIngtel, and SGX rose 2%; Genting Singapore, Sembcorp, and SIA rose 1%; UOB rose 0.9%; OCBC rose 0.7%; DBS rose 0.1%.
Stocks in Focus
$Aims Apac Reit(O5RU.SI)$ (AA Reit): The trust is proposing to divest a Singapore industrial property at 8 Senoko South Road for S$15 million. As part of its capital recycling strategy, the deal is subject to JTC Corporation’s approval and is expected to be completed within the first half of 2026. Units of AA Reit ended Wednesday 3.4 per cent or S$0.05 down at S$1.43, before the news.
$Marco Polo Marine(5LY.SI)$: The integrated marine logistics company raised around S$21 million via a private share placement, with net proceeds to be used for capital expenditure, in line with its business expansion plans. The placement shares are set to be listed and quoted on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) mainboard on Thursday, with trading to commence at 9 am, the group said on Wednesday. Shares of Marco Polo Marine ended Wednesday 4.1 per cent or S$0.007 lower at S$0.166, before the news.
$Geo Energy Resources(RE4.SI)$: The coal producer announced on Thursday that it intends to raise gross proceeds of up to S$14.88 million through a proposed placement of 35 million new ordinary shares. The placement price has been set at S$0.425 per share. Geo Energy Resources called for a trading halt on Wednesday and lifted the trading halt on Thursday morning. The counter last traded at S$0.445, 3.5 per cent or S$0.015 higher, on Tuesday.
$Aspial Lifestyle(5UF.SI)$: The board of the Catalist-listed company on Wednesday proposed a transfer of the listing of the company to the mainboard of SGX. The move is intended to enhance the company’s ability to access equity and debt capital markets, considering how some institutional and international investors may have investment mandates focused on mainboard-listed companies. The counter ended 1.4 per cent or S$0.005 lower on Wednesday at S$0.365, prior to the news.
SG Local News
Singapore to Review COE Categories for Cars: Jeffrey Siow
The government will review the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) categorisation for cars, said Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow at his ministry’s Committee of Supply debate on Wednesday (Mar 4).
The review will not just look at a system based on car price, but also examine merging the two car categories, A and B, into a single bidding category.
Siow noted that the price difference between Category A, for mainstream cars, and Category B, for larger or more powerful cars, has been converging in recent times as car manufacturers have been adjusting specifications of cars to fit within Category A.
Every HDB Town to Get EV Fast-Charging Hub by End-2027; Autonomous Shuttles Open to Public from April
Each Housing & Development Board (HDB) town will have an electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging hub by the end of 2027, said Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling in her ministry’s Committee of Supply debate on Wednesday (Mar 4).
Autonomous vehicle (AV) rides in Punggol will also be open to the public from Apr 1.
EV fast-charging hubs already exist in commercial and industrial premises, but the government will deploy more hubs so that there will be at least one fast-charging hub per HDB town by the end of next year, said Sun.
Singapore to Ban Caged Lorries for Worker Transport From 2027
Singapore will prohibit the use of caged lorries for transporting workers starting next year to mitigate safety risks during accidents or fires, Channel News Asia reported Wednesday.
External latches on caged decks can prevent workers from escaping during emergencies, according to CNA, which cited Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling as saying in Parliament. Between 500 to 1,000 of the 50,000 lorries currently in operation utilize caged decks, it said.
The policy shift follows a surge in public outcry triggered by viral social media footage, although there’s been no major mass-casualty event specifically involving caged lorries. Videos have showed workers locked behind chained and padlocked gates, intensifying scrutiny on transport safety and the potential for them to be trapped during roadside emergencies.
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