Market View: Stocks rise after report of ceasefire talks between US, Iran, Investors continue to mull Trump’s promised assault on Iranian infrastructure; Citigroup pushes back Fed rate cut timeline after strong job numbers; Singapore retail sales jump 8.3% in February, boosted by Chinese New Year; FOMC March minutes, February personal income, and March CPI – what should investors prioritise this week?; Olam Group, Geo Energy Resources to watch

Singapore shares inched higher today as investors continue to monitor developments on the global trade front. The Straits Times Index was up 0.46% at 4,970.16 points at 1.24pm Singapore time, with a value turnover of S$727.68M seen in the broader market. In terms of counters to watch, we have Olam Group after the agri-food giant said today that it is selling its information technology and digital services unit, Mindsprint, to Wipro for US$375 million as part of a broader corporate reorganisation. Meanwhile, from how retail sales in Singapore surged 8.3 per cent year on year in February, to how Citigroup has pushed back its Fed rate-cut timeline, citing unexpectedly strong US job gains and persistent inflation risks, more economic headlines remained in focus. Also on deck – investors’ reactions to a media report that the US, Iran and a group of regional mediators are discussing the terms for a potential 45-day ceasefire, as well as US President Donald Trump’s renewed threats to attack Iranian infrastructure if Tehran does not meet his deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with David Kuo, Co-founder, The Smart Investor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.