Singapore’s Straits Times Index fell 0.1% to 2,858.53 as of the 12:30 p.m. trading. Five stocks rose for every three shares that fell on the 30-member gauge.

 

Shares on the measure trade at 14.9 times estimated earnings, compared with about 17.5 times at the start of 2010, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The following shares were among the most active in the market. 

 

Palm oil suppliers: Crude palm oil for May delivery declined as much as 1.2% in Kuala Lumpur today.

 

Golden Agri-Resources (GGR SP), the world’s second- biggest palm oil supplier, dropped 3.4% to 57.5 cents, the biggest decline on the benchmark index. Indofood Agri Resources (IFAR SP), the palm plantation unit of Indonesia’s biggest noodle maker, slipped 2.2% to $2.27. Wilmar International (WIL SP), the world’s biggest palm oil trader, dropped 1.3% to $6.77.

 

CapitaMalls Asia (CMA SP), the operator of shopping malls in Singapore and China, climbed 0.9% to $2.31. DBS Group Holdings initiated coverage of the stock with a “buy” rating and a share-price forecast of $2.51.

 

STX Pan Ocean Co. (STX SP), South Korea’s biggest bulk carrier, gained 2.1% to $16.20. The Baltic Dry Index, which measures the cost of shipping commodities, rose 0.6% yesterday in London.

 

Tiger Airways Holdings (TGR SP), the budget carrier partly owned by Singapore Airlines (SIA SP), climbed 1.8% to $1.73. The airline said it filled 85% of available seats in February, up from 79% a year earlier, as it transported 90% more passengers during the period. Singapore Air, the world’s second-biggest airline by market value, slipped 1.6% to $15.68.

 

Yanlord Land Group (YLLG SP), a property developer in China, dropped 1.5% to $2.01 on speculation the country’s central bank will increase rates after inflation accelerated last month.

 

“The government will stay very proactive this year and an inflation rate approaching 3% or topping the target may trigger an interest-rate increase,” Qu Hongbin, chief China economist at HSBC Holdings Plc in Hong Kong, said before today’s release of the inflation data.