Singapore shares are likely to rise on Wednesday after expectations that the US may inject more stimulus to boost its sluggish economy sent stocks on Wall Street rallying to a near 5-month high overnight. Singapore’s benchmark Straits Times Index <.FTSTI> rose 0.16% on Tuesday to 3,162.36 points.

Here are some stocks and factors to watch:

Sembcorp Marine (SCMN.SI), the world’s second-biggest oil-rig builder, may be in focus after it said on Tuesday its subsidiary secured a US$364 million ($477 million) contract to build two jack-up rigs with options for another 3 from Houston-based Atwood Oceanics Pacific.

Singapore Airlines (SIA SP): The world’s second-largest carrier by market capitalisation said it will equip long-range wide-body planes with Internet and phone-message access to meet growing demand from business travellers. Its shares gained 0.7% to $16.44.

Singtel (STEL.SI), Starhub (STAR.SI), M1 (MONE.SI): Talks of a fourth telcom operator entering the Singapore market have died after the Infocomm Development Authority said on Tuesday it would allocate Singapore’s remaining third-generation cellular network spectrum to the three existing operators in the absence of other rivalling bids, the local press reported.

IDT Holdings (IDTH.SI) said on Tuesday its parent has offered to take the firm private at an exit offer of $0.54 a share in cash for all the shares it does not own.

Singapore’s purchasing managers index (PMI) for September indicated the manufacturing economy contracted for the second consecutive month after 15 months of expansion. It had an overall PMI of 49.5, the Institute of Purchasing & Materials Management said on Tuesday.

Shipping companies: The Baltic Dry Index of commodity- shipping rates climbed 3.7% in London yesterday, taking its three-day advance to 5%. Mercator Lines Singapore (MRLN SP), an Indian bulk carrier, increased 3.6% to 29 cents. STX Pan Ocean Co. (STX SP), South Korea’s biggest bulk carrier, fell 0.9% to $13.66. Cosco Corp. Singapore (COS SP), a China-based shipbuilder that also operates bulk carriers, gained 1.1% to $1.85. Deutsche Bank AG raised its recommendation on the stock to “buy” from “hold” and increased its share-price forecast to $2.25 from $1.77.