The following companies may have unusual price changes in trading today, say Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters. Share prices are from the previous close. Singapore’s Straits Times Index added 0.2% to 2,796.98 last evening.

US stocks ended slightly lower last night after comments by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke sparked jitters about the economic recovery. Bernanke said the economy faces “formidable headwinds”, including a weak labour market and tight credit conditions.

Bulk carriers: The Baltic Dry Index, which measures the cost of shipping commodities, dropped 1.7% in London yesterday, snapping its three-day gain of 7.1%.
Cosco Corp. Singapore (COS SP), a China-based shipbuilder that also operates bulk carriers, was unchanged at $1.07. Mercator Lines Singapore (MRLN SP), an Indian bulk carrier, was unchanged at 30.5 cents. STX Pan Ocean Co. (STX SP), South Korea’s biggest bulk carrier, gained 1.9% to $13.70.

Telephone companies: The island nation’s biggest telephone companies Singapore Telecommunications (ST SP) and StarHub (STH SP) are competing for the right to broadcast the 2010 soccer World Cup in Singapore, the local press reported. SingTel, as Southeast Asia’s biggest telephone company is known, was unchanged at $3. StarHub dropped 1.5% to $1.98.

First Ship Lease Trust (FSLT SP): The marine vessel-leasing company said it has scrapped its proposed US$200 million ($278 million) senior notes offering after a request by Dubai World for a so-called debt standstill roiled credit markets. First Ship Lease added 0.9% to 59.5 cents.

Hongkong Land Holdings (HKL SP): One of the biggest office landlords in the Chinese city’s central business district was downgraded to “equal-weight” from “overweight” at Morgan Stanley, which raised its share-price estimate to US$5.11 ($7.1) from US$4.80. Hongkong Land lost 0.6% to US$4.75.

Mandarin Oriental International (MAND SP): The operator of 25 luxury hotels may buy more brands as lodging companies struggle amid a decline in spending, Chief Executive Officer Edouard Ettedgui said. Mandarin Oriental was unchanged at US$1.25 ($1.74).

Neptune Orient Lines (NOL SP): Southeast Asia’s biggest container carrier said it transported 23% more cargo in the four weeks to Nov. 13 compared with a year ago. Average revenue per container dropped 28% in the same period. Neptune Orient slipped 1.3% to $1.53.