Singapore shares moved higher to track advances in Asia today.

The Straits Times Index rose 0.42% to 4,225.88 points at 2.34pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$937.26M seen in the broader market.

In terms of companies to watch, we have DFI Retail Group. The supermarket and retail store operator announced yesterday that its underlying profit rose 38.9 per cent to US$105 million for the first half ended Jun 30, from US$75.6 million a year ago. 

Elsewhere, from how shares of Japanese and South Korean automakers surged after US President Donald Trump announced a trade deal in Tokyo that includes tariff reduction on Japanese auto imports, to how Alibaba Group today announced an open-source AI model for software development said to be its most advanced coding tool to date – more international and corporate headlines remain in focus.

Plus – how Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is reportedly said to announce his resignation by the end of next month.

On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Abhilash Narayan, Investment Strategist, HSBC Global Private Banking and Premier Wealth.