Singapore: Shares open lower following Dow's dip

SINGAPORE share prices opened lower on Friday with the Straits Times Index down 3.49 points to 3,382.67 at 9.01am, following dips for major US indices on Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 117.16 points to 17,959.03 while the Standard & Poor's 500 index shed 10.23 points and closed at 2,089.27.

Among Singapore Exchange's biggest movers in early trading on Friday were Noble Group, up 4.7 per cent or four Singapore cents at 89 Singapore cents, as talk in the market emerged about potential suitors for the commodities trader. Ezion Holdings was also up 2.7 per cent or 2.5 Singapore cents at 96.5 Singapore cents, following a Macquarie Research report earlier this week which gave the stock an "outperform" rating.

A total of 45 million shares worth S$88.5 million changed hands, with losers outnumbering gainers 64 to 43.