Singapore Hot Stocks-Super Coffeemix soars on takeover talk

SINGAPORE, April 18 (Reuters) - Food and beverage firm Super Coffeemix surged as much as 21 percent to S$0.975 with 3 million shares traded.

Its shares also soared 20 percent on Thursday, prompting queries from Singapore Exchange about its stock rise.

The firm replied on late Thursday that it has received interest regarding a "possible transaction" and they are still in the early stage of discussions.

Super Coffeemix did not give further details when contacted by Reuters.

Three dealers said there has been speculation of a takeover bid for Super Coffeemix.

"There's talk of a takeover bid. But the firm's market cap is around half a billion, so a reverse takeover might be ruled out," one trader said.

0357 GMT - Straits Times Index down 0.37 percent.

SEMBMARINE UP ON BRAZIL SHIPYARD DEAL

Sembcorp Marine extended gains for a fourth day after the rig-maker signed an agreement with Mac Laren Shipyard to operate a shipyard in Brazil.

The world's second-biggest rig-builder, rose as much as 4.9 percent to S$4.05, with over 5.9 million shares traded.

Sembcorp Marine will also collaborate with Brazil's Mac Laren for all future offshore oil and gas projects in the Latin American country, the firm said in a statement on Thursday.

"SMM's (Sembcorp Marine) main rival Keppel has a Brazilian yard...and this latest alliance puts SMM on par with Keppel when bidding for Petrobras contracts," Citigroup said in a client note.
Keppel Corp's shares only rose as much as 1.4 percent to S$11.66 with a volume about 2 million shares.

Analysts said earlier this week Sembcorp Marine and Keppel could benefit from a new Petrobras oil discovery in Brazil.

0319 GMT - Straits Times Index down 0.09 percent.

(Reporting by Tan Wei Xin, editing by Neil Chatterjee)
((weixin.tan@reuters.com; +65 6403 5667; Reuters Messaging: weixin.tan.reuters.com@reuters.net))