Daily Updates

Ascott Group Ltd. (SCOT SP): Asia's biggest serviced-
apartment operator said it formed a joint venture with
Thailand's Thakral family to develop five properties under its
Citadines brand in Bangkok. The sites, with about 500 units,
will be opened by 2010 and managed by Ascott, the company said.
Ascott shares fell 1 cent, or 1.5 percent, to 67 cents.

Biosensors International Group Ltd. (BIG SP): The maker of
medical devices said it named Rosario Chato Abad, 56, as its
chief financial officer. Abad, who is based in Newport Beach,
California, was interim chief financial officer at the U.S.
generics division of Alpharma Inc. and was Watson
Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s vice president of finance. Biosensors
fell 2 cents, or 1.8 percent, to S$1.11.

CapitaLand Ltd. (CAPL SP): Southeast Asia's biggest
developer by sales said it agreed to sell Seiyu (Singapore) Pte,
which operates three department stores in the city-state, for
S$4 million to Beijing Hualian Group Investment Holding Co.
CapitaLand declined 4 cents, or 1.2 percent, to S$3.24.

Del Monte Pacific Ltd. (DELM SP), the world's largest
pineapple canner will be suspended from trading ahead of an
announcement. First Pacific Co. (142 HK), the Hong Kong-based
owner of the world's biggest instant-noodle maker, last month
offered to buy the Singapore-listed company. Del Monte slid 1
Singapore cent, or 1.6 percent, to 62.5 cents.

Hotel Grand Central Ltd. (GRAN SP): The Singapore hotel
operator said it will buy 15 apartments and the rights to 19
parking lots at President Plaza Hotel in Auckland for NZ$3.7
million ($2.6 million). It also agreed to buy the management
rights to 63 studio units at the hotel for NZ$745,000. The hotel
will be renamed Hotel Grand Chancellor Auckland after the
purchase. The stock was unchanged at 65.5 cents.

Informatics Holdings Ltd. (INFO SP): The provider of
educational services said it would ``vigorously'' defend a
lawsuit filed for the return of fees and other costs after the
claimants said its schools were allegedly ``unviable.'' The
stock was unchanged at 8 Singapore cents.

Jardine Cycle & Carriage Ltd. (JCNC SP): The car
distributor said third-quarter profit fell 15 percent from a
year earlier to $70.7 million, partly because of weak vehicle
sales. The company said it plans to distribute its 65.6 percent
stake in MCL Land Ltd. (MCL SP) to shareholders as a dividend,
Jardine Cycle said.
Hongkong Land Holdings Ltd. (HKL SP) has offered to buy MCL
Land at S$647.5 million ($383 million), or S$1.75 a share. The
companies are units of Jardine Strategic Holdings Ltd. (JS SP).
Jardine Cycle, which was suspended yesterday, rose 10 cents, or
1 percent, to S$10.40 on Nov. 30. MCL Land, which was also
halted, slid 1 cent, or 0.7 percent, to S$1.40 on Nov. 30.
Hongkong Land, the biggest landlord in Hong Kong's financial hub,
gained 6 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $3.26.

Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. (ST SP): Southeast Asia's
biggest phone company said it set up a unit called NCSI (ChengDu)
Co., which will offer information technology research and
development services. The company is incorporated in China and
has a registered capital of $1.5 million. The stock rose 6 cents,
or 2.4 percent, to S$2.57.

Suntec REIT (SUN SP): The property trust, which owns
Singapore's biggest shopping mall and a share of five downtown
office towers, said it completed the S$128 million purchase of
Chijmes, an entertainment center that used to house a convent
and school. The purchase is being financed by borrowings and
would boost the dividend by about 2 percent, it said. The stock
was unchanged at S$1.08.