Stocks to watch: SGX, Mapletree Commercial Trust, Cache Logistics Trust

THESE companies announced results that may influence trading on Thursday.

Singapore Exchange: SGX raised its base dividend and outlined its strategy to raise liquidity in the sluggish securities market as net profit rose 28 per cent for its fiscal first quarter ended Sept 30.

The market operator is raising its first-quarter cash dividend to five Singapore cents per share from four Singapore cents a year ago, and future quarterly payouts are expected to follow suit.

Net profit increased to S$99.3 million, or 9.3 Singapore cents per share, as operating revenue rose 30.1 per cent to S$219.6 million.

The stock closed at S$7.51 on Wednesday, down by 0.3 per cent or two Singapore cents, before the results were announced.

Mapletree Commercial Trust: MCT posted on Wednesday a 2.5 per cent increase in distribution per unit (DPU) to 2.02 Singapore cents for the second quarter ended Sept 30, 2015.

Its gross revenue rose 1.9 per cent to S$71.3 million, and lower operating expenses helped net property income to rise 5.1 per cent to S$54.8 million.

The better performance was driven by VivoCity, which saw gross revenue and net property income improve year-on-year on higher rentals from positive rental reversion, and the effects of rental step-ups in existing leases.

Cache Logistics Trust: The industrial landlord posted an unchanged distribution per unit (DPU) of 2.14 Singapore cents on Wednesday for the third quarter ended Sept 30, 2015.

Gross revenue rose 11.3 per cent to S$23.1 million, while net property income fell 3.6 per cent to S$18.8 million.

It said industrial property market conditions are likely to stay challenging in view of the imbalance in the supply and demand of industrial space, uncertain macro-economic developments and government regulations in place.