Singapore stocks end down 0.3%

Singapore shares closed 0.31 percent lower on Friday, amid light trading as U.S. financial markets closed for Thursday's Thanksgiving holiday and will have half-day session on Friday. Adding to caution was Japanese stocks slightly retreated on Friday after hitting their highest closing level in nearly six years on Thursday. CIMB Research said "falling below 3,122 points would likely give the bears a boost to drag prices lower to retest 3,100 points followed by 2,990 points once more." Singapore's benchmark Straits Times Index fell 10.02 points to 3,176.35 points. Trading volume was 1.51 billion shares worth 1.12 billion Singapore dollars. Advancers slightly outnumbered decliners 204 to 192, while 558 stocks did not move. Centurion Holdings ended flat at 55 Singapore cents. It announced that it is the successful bidder for the student accommodation facility, RMIT Village, and an adjoining car park building in Melbourne, Australia, for a total purchase consideration of 60 million Australian dollars. RMIT Village is located on the northern edge of Melbourne's Central Business District, also close to RMIT University and the University of Melbourne. This is a 4,000 square meters freehold land parcel comprising 229 apartments with a current capacity of approximately 456 beds. Swissco Holdings rose 3.4 percent to 30.5 Singapore cents. It has secured charter contracts worth an aggregate of 27 million Singapore dollars for its new vessels. The contracts secured are for a minimum 12-month charter contract for new 60-meter anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels to be deployed in the Middle East and 27-month charter contract for another new 60-meter AHTS to be deployed in northeast Australia. Among top gainers, Jardine Cycle and Carriage rose 1.1 percent to 35.30 Singapore dollars, while Jardine Matheson became one of the top losers by falling 0.7 percent to 50.52 U.S. dollars. (1 U. S. dollar equals to 1.10 Australian dollars and 1.25 Singapore dollars)