Singapore’s benchmark Straits Times Index (.FTSTI) rose 1.59% to 2,834.57 points yesterday. On Wall Street, technology shares pushed the Nasdaq higher last night on an otherwise flat day for US stocks, led by BlackBerry maker Research in Motion and Cisco Systems. Here are some factors and stocks to watch:

Property stocks: The government said it will not introduce more measures relating to the property market for now, but will monitor the market closely, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said in parliament yesterday.

PEC Limited, the oil and gas servicing firm and terminal builder, said that Verwater-Audex B.V., a 50-50 joint venture company between its subsidiary Audex Pte Ltd and Verwater B.V., has won a €118 million ($226 million) contract to build a 465,000 cubic metres tank terminal in the strategically located port of Rotterdam (Netherlands).

Hydrochem, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hyflux, was awarded a $43.8 million contract by the TP Utilities, a wholly-owned unit of leading power company Tuas Power, to undertake the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) works for stage one of the Tembusu Seawater Desalination Plant on Jurong Island.

ST Engineering said ST Synthesis, its wholly-owned subsidiary, has been awarded a five-year contract worth about $18 million by Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA). The contract, which will start on June 1 involves the installation and maintenance of traffic signal systems for the eastern part of Singapore.

Gems TV Holdings said it will cease operations in the US. The group has also entered into a non-binding term sheet to acquire 37.8% shareholding interest in Multimedia Commerce Group Inc.

CapitaMalls Asia said it has entered into an agreement with CapitaRetail China Development Fund II to acquire an integrated development comprising retail, residential and office components in Chengdu, China, for RMB554.2 million ($114 million).

Singapore Exchange has announced changes to the structure of the SGX-Derivatives Clearing (DC) Clearing Fund and the SGX-DC Clearing Rules, which will take effect tomorrow. The new structure more closely links members’ clearing contributions to the volume of risks they bring to the clearing house. Clearing members’ security deposits will begin at a minimum amount of US$500,000 ($699,750). The previous cap on further assessments of $8 million per member is now revised to a maximum of three times the member’s security deposit.

Best World International has established a 80% joint venture company in the Philippines known as BWL Health & Sciences, Inc. The balance of 20% is to be held by an unrelated party, Bestworld Capital Ventures Corporation, a private limited company incorporated in the Philippines.

China New Town Development Company will appoint Song Yi Qing as Chief Financial Officer from March 8 to replace Cheng Wai Ho.

Raffles Education Corporation has incorporated 2 subsidiaries, Duale Academy Pte. Ltd. in Singapore and Raffles Design Institute (Pte) Limited in Sri Lanka. The former has an issued and paid-up capital of $10 and will engage in activities that relate to the provision of private higher education. The latter has an issued and paid-up capital of LKR1 (One Lanka Rupee) and is wholly-owned by Raffles Education Corp.

United Overseas Australia announced that it had submitted two letters of offer to the Manager of the UOA Real Estate Investment Trust (UOA REIT) giving the UOA REIT the option to purchase the following properties as described and under the conditions as detailed below. Menara UOA Bangsar for A$96.6 million ($122.8 million) and Wisma UOA Damansara II for A$70.5 million ($89.6 million).

Tiger Airways Holdings said that of the proceeds raised from the initial public offering, $34.2 million has been utilised to fund our acquisition of aircraft and associated aircraft pre-delivery payments; and $18.5 million has been utilised for working capital.