Singapore Hot Stocks-Uni-Asia Finance, Eucon in focus

SINGAPORE, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Uni-Asia Finance Corp (UAFC.SI) may be in focus on Friday after it said it will buy five ships for the possible establishment of a new ship investment fund.

U.S. stocks rose on Thursday, led by technology shares, as a reassuring profit and outlook from Oracle Corp (ORCL.O) offset nagging concerns about financial companies' exposure to bad debt.

Stocks and factors to watch.

- Ship-financing firm Uni-Asia Finance Corp said it will buy five ships for around $196 million for a new ship investment fund the company may establish. The ships are due to be delivered between 2008 and 2011. [ID:nSNCJ21521]

- Eucon Holding Ltd (EUCN.SI), which makes circuit boards, said its fourth-quarter performance will be "adversely affected" by weaker-than-expected sales. [ID:nSIN106586]

- Singapore Telecommunications (STEL.SI) and state investor Temasek Holdings TEM.UL have appealed against an Indonesian order for Temasek to divest its stake in one of Indonesia's two largest mobile phone operators. Temasek owns 56 percent of SingTel. [ID:nSIN198146]

- Swiber Holdings (SWBR.SI), an offshore oil services firm, has received a contract extension from Brunei Shell Petroleum to transport and install offshore facilities in Brunei. The estimated value of the contract extension together with the first contract is around $200 million. [ID:nSNCJ01401]

- China Eastern Airlines (0670.HK) (600115.SS) failed to win a gesture of support from its rival and shareholder Air China (601111.SS)(0753.HK) for a stake sale to Singapore Airlines (SIAL.SI) during a meeting of top executives, a Chinese newspaper reported. [ID:nPEK127014]

- Singapore's Straits Times Index .STI fell 0.36 percent lower to 3,357.34 points on Wednesday. The market was closed on Thursday for a public holiday.

- The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI rose 0.29 percent to end at 13,245.64. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC gained 1.53 percent to 2,640.86. (Reporting by Melanie Lee)