Stocks to watch: a-iTrust, Sembmarine, Tianjin Zhong Xin, DBS, iFast, Nanofilm

THE following companies saw new developments that may affect trading of their securities on Monday:

Ascendas India Trust (a-iTrust): The manager said on Monday that a-iTrust will spend about 14.41 billion rupees (S$268.2 million) to acquire two buildings in an IT Park in Hebbal, Bangalore. The trust will also provide funding for the development of the project as part of the forward purchase arrangement. a-iTrust units closed flat at S$1.47 on Friday.

Sembcorp Marine (Sembmarine): On Monday the marine and offshore engineering group said it, together with GE Renewable Energy's Grid Solutions, has clinched a contract worth £600 million (S$1.12 billion), to supply the high voltage direct current electrical system for RWE Renewables' UK-based Sofia Offshore Wind Farm. Sembmarine shares closed up at 1.9 per cent or 0.3 Singapore cent at 16.2 cents on Friday.

Tianjin Zhong Xin Pharmaceutical Group: After calling for a trading halt on Friday morning, the group announced that a "chain offer" was triggered for the remaining shares of Tianjin Zhong Xin Pharmaceutical Group, on both the Singapore and Shanghai bourses, that are not held by offeror Tianjin Pharmaceutical Singapore International Investment and Chinese conglomerate Tianjin Pharmaceutical Holdings (TPH). This follows a transfer of a two-thirds ownership in TPH to a third party. Tianjin Zhong Xin requested to lift its trading halt on Monday.

DBS: Singapore's largest bank on Friday said it was appointing senior civil servant Chng Kai Fong as a new non-executive director to the boards of DBS Holdings and DBS Bank, effective March 31. Mr Chng is the managing director of Singapore Economic Development Board. Shares of DBS closed on Friday's at S$28.59, up S$0.09 or 0.3 per cent, before the announcement.

iFast Corporation: The wealth management fintech platform's wholly-owned Malaysian unit, iFast Capital Sdn Bhd, has announced the launch of its stocks and exchange-traded funds brokerage services on FSMOne.com in Malaysia. Shares of iFast closed 1.3 per cent or S$0.08 lower at S$5.94 on Friday.

Nanofilm Technologies: The tech unicorn, with Temasek Holdings as a substantial shareholder, has been included into the FTSE ST Large & Mid Cap Index and the FTSE ST Mid Cap Index with effect from March 22, 2021. This follows the company's inclusion in the FTSE ST China Index and FTSE ST Shariah Index on Dec 21, 2020. The counter rose 1 per cent or S$0.05 to close at S$4.91 on Friday.

Shangri-La Asia: The Hong-Kong based hospitality company on Friday posted a net loss of US$460.2 million for its full year ended Dec 31, 2020, which was a reversal from a net profit of US$152.5 million a year ago. The counter closed unchanged at HK$8.28 on Friday.

Hong Leong Asia: The industrial conglomerate has assigned the shareholders' loan and other advances it previously granted to its consumer products unit - the Xinfei companies currently undergoing restructuring - to a buyer in China specialising in the acquisition of non-performing assets, for 48.7 million yuan (S$10 million). The counter was down 0.7 per cent or 0.5 Singapore cent to 77 cents at Friday's close.

Trading halt: Soilbuild Business Space Reit requested a trading halt on Monday morning. Units last traded flat at 53.5 Singapore cents on Friday.