Last Friday, Singapore’s benchmark Straits Times Index (.FTSTI) rose 0.26% to 2,881.36 points. US stocks stayed little changed as mixed consumer and retail data kept investors guessing about the direction of the the world’s biggest economy.

The Media Development Authority of Singapore said last Friday it revising the media market conduct code to enable mandatory cross carriage of exclusive content in the Pay TV market. The change will apply to content that’s acquired or renewed on an exclusive basis on or after today. For example, if SingTel acquires a new channel exclusively, it must make this channel available to StarHub. And SingTel will have to pay StarHub to carry its exclusive content. This means consumers can watch an exclusive channel through just one Pay TV retailer. Meanwhile, SingTel, which owns 32% of Bharti Airtel, may help with the funding for Bharti’s purchase of Zain’s African assets through debt, but the Singapore firm added there was no need to inject money directly into its Indian affiliate since the deal would not dilute its stake in Bharti.

Popular Holdings, the bookshop operator and property developer, reported net profit for the third quarter ended Jan 31, 2010 rose 47.5% to $7.85 million on the back of a 6.6% increase in sales to $147.25 million.

Beyonics Technology said it achieved a net profit of $4.2 million on revenue of $397.4 million for the three months ended 31January 2010. Revenue increased by 18.9% to $397.4 million.

Ecowise Holdings said group revenue for the first quarter of the current financial period increased 24.8% y-o-y from $5.13 million to $6.4 million. Profit attributable to equity holders decreased from $0.41 million to $0.12 million.

Ezra Holdings has acquired two new subsidiaries Bayu Intan Nigeria incorporated in Nigeria and Emas Subsea Services incorporated in Singapore.

Oil services firm Mermaid Maritime Public Co (MMPC.SI) said on Saturday it has bought Qatar-based Subtech for US$7.5 million ($10.5 million) to expand into the Middle East.

Sinotel Technologies, the provider of wireless telecommunications infrastructure and solutions in China, says the group has qualified as China Mobile’s design vendor for its wireless network infrastructures.

TPV Technology will form a venture with AU Optronics Corp. in Poland to assemble and sell optoelectronics parts and products. The venture will have an initial capital of US$40 million ($55.9 million), Hong Kong-based TPV will own 49% while and AU will own the rest.

Epure International said as from March 5, it has been renamed as Sound Global as part of the company’s rebranding effort.

Ziwo Holdings said wholly-owned subsidiary in China, Zhihe (Fujian) Technology Co. had achieved a significant milestone by securing its first sales order valued RMB 670,000 ($136,786) on March 5 for bullet-proof vests made using its patented bullet-proof vest material.

Sunright said turnover increased 28% from $42.2 to $54 million for the first six months of financial year ended Jan 31 2010. Profit after tax was $1.8 million, compared to a loss of $3.4 million.