Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose 0.6% to 3,204.92 as of 9:15 a.m. Twenty-six stocks advanced in the benchmark index of 30 companies.

Shares on the measure trade at an average 14.6 times estimated earnings, compared with about 15.6 times at the end of 2010, 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.

Hiap Seng Engineering (HSE SP), a provider of engineering services to the petroleum and petrochemical industries, increased 0.8% to 64.5 cents. The company said it won two contracts from China and the Middle East, valued at US$9.4 million.

Keppel Corp. (KEP SP), the world’s biggest builder of oil rigs, climbed 0.7% to $11.34. The company will announce full-year results after the close of trading today. It is expected to report a profit of $1.3 billion, according to the average estimate of 22 analysts compiled by Bloomberg. That compares with $1.63 billion in 2009.

Keppel Land (KPLD SP), the real-estate arm of Keppel Corp., advanced 2% to $4.65. The company said its fourth-quarter net income surged to $841 million from $106.9 million a year earlier, boosted by one-time gains. HSBC Holdings Plc raised its rating on the stock to “overweight” from “neutral”.

SIA Engineering Co. (SIE SP), the aircraft maintenance unit of Singapore Airlines (SIA SP), gained 0.7% to $4.29. The company will release its third-quarter results after the close of trading today. It is expected to report a net income of $66 million, according to average estimates of two analysts compiled by Bloomberg. That compares with $56 million a year earlier.