Singapore’s Straits Times Index fell 0.4% to 2,729.83 at the trading break. Ten stocks rose, 16 fell and four were unchanged on the 30 member gauge. The following shares were among the most active in the market. 

 

Bulk carriers: The Baltic Dry Index, which measures the cost of shipping commodities, rose 3.7% to 3,748 in London yesterday, its highest since June 30. The gauge has risen 26% in the past 10 days.

 

Cosco Corp. Singapore (COS SP), a China-based shipbuilder that also operates bulk carriers, gained 1.9% to S$1.10. Mercator Lines Singapore (MRLN SP), an Indian bulk carrier, climbed 1.6% to 31 cents.

 

China Eratat Sports Fashion (CERAT SP), a maker of athletic shoes and apparel, tumbled 6% to 23.5 cents. The company said profit before tax declined 21% from a year earlier to 29.4 million yuan ($6 million).

 

MFS Technology (MFS SP), the maker of flexible circuit boards used in mobile phone, slipped 2% to 24 cents. The company said it had a full-year loss of $12.7 million, compared with a loss of $10.1 million a year ago.

 

SBS Transit (SBUS SP), Singapore’s biggest bus operator, gained 0.6% to $1.74. The company said third- quarter profit increased 27% from a year earlier to $10.6 million.

 

Singapore Airlines (SIA SP), the world’s biggest carrier by market value, added 0.7% to $14.18. The company may add back some capacity as it is seeing a “definite” pickup in business class traffic, Chief Executive Officer Chew Choon Seng said yesterday.

 

Venture Corp. (VMS SP), Singapore’s biggest publicly traded electronics manufacturing services provider, dropped 3.4% to $8.99. The company was downgraded to “hold” from “buy” at OCBC Investment Research and cut to “underperform” from “neutral” by CIMB-GK Securities Pte Ltd. Venture Corp. said third-quarter profit fell 4.7% to $38.2 million.

 

Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Holdings (YZJ SP), a China- based shipbuilder, jumped 7.1% to $1.06. The stock was added to the MSCI Singapore Index.