Singapore’s Straits Times Index gained 0.3 percent to 3,168.90 as of the 12:30 a.m. midday trading break. Twenty-two stocks advanced and three fell in the benchmark equity index of 30 companies.

Shares on the measure trade at an average 15.5 times estimated earnings, compared with about 17.4 times at the beginning of the year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

The following shares were among the most active in the market. Stock symbols are in parentheses after the company name.

Palm-oil producers: Crude palm-oil futures for March delivery jumped 2.5 percent in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

First Resources (FR SP), an Indonesian palm plantation company, advanced 2.6% to $1.57. Golden Agri-Resources (GGR SP), the world’s second-biggest palm-oil producer, rose 1.9% to 79 cents. Indofood Agri Resources (IFAR SP), the palm-oil unit of Indonesia’s biggest noodle maker, climbed 2.6% to $2.79.

Keppel Corp. (KEP SP), the world’s biggest builder of oil rigs, climbed 0.6% to $10.94. The company said its Keppel Offshore & Marine unit won new contracts totalling $240 million to upgrade a floating production storage and offloading vessel, convert a livestock carrier and build a diving support vessel.

Think Environmental Company (TENV SP), the waste management services company, rose 2.1% to 71.5 cents, its highest level on record. The company agreed to buy a 70% stake in Mornington Offshore Inc. for US$35 million ($45.4 million), giving it control of gold concessions in the Republic of Mali.