Asian equities looked poised for modest gains after a fresh record in their U.S. counterparts, as stimulus hopes tempered concern about a surge in coronavirus cases. The dollar was steady.

Futures rose in Japan, Hong Kong and Australia rose. S&P 500 contracts ticked higher after the benchmark closed at an all-time high. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested setting aside some issues that have been roadblocks to a relief package -- a strategic retreat aimed at striking a deal. The Nasdaq 100 advanced for a 10th straight day, the longest rally in about a year. Pfizer Inc. jumped as U.S. regulators gave early indications they may grant emergency-use authorization to its vaccine. Benchmark Treasury yields dipped back below 0.92%.

Elsewhere, the pound pared declines after the U.K. dropped controversial parts of an internal bill that would have given it the power to unilaterally override the Brexit divorce treaty. Oil fluctuated.

The manager of Keppel Infrastructure Trust (KIT) and its Philippine partner Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) have entered a conditional agreement to fully acquire an entity that owns the largest petroleum products import storage facility in the Philippines. The target entity is the Philippine Tank Storage International (Holdings) Inc (PTSI), which owns the storage facility, the Philippine Coastal Storage & Pipeline Corporation (PCSPC). Upon completion of the deal, KIT will indirectly hold 80 per cent of the shares in PTSI, while MPIC will indirectly hold the remainder. KIT's purchase consideration, proportionate to its shareholding, is estimated at US$267 million. This is subject to adjustments post-deal.

A subsidiary of CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (CICT) has issued S$250 million of 12-year notes with a 2.15 per cent coupon rate. Its wholly-owned unit CMT MTN issued the notes, which will mature on Dec 7, 2032, to institutional and/or sophisticated investors. Proceeds from the deal will be used to refinance the CICT group's existing borrowings; finance investments; on-lend to any trust, fund or entity in which the Reit has an interest; finance asset enhancement works; and for general corporate and working capital purposes.

The trustee of Suntec Real Estate Investment Trust (Suntec Reit) has entered into a S$900 million facility agreement with various banks. The facility will be used to finance or refinance acquisitions and/or investments, refinance existing borrowings, and/or for general working capital purposes, Suntec Reit's manager said late Monday night.

STET Homeland Security Services, a dormant subsidiary of ST Engineering, has been placed under members' voluntary liquidation, the mainboard-listed defence and engineering group announced in a Tuesday bourse filing. "This exercise is part of ST Engineering's ongoing review to streamline its legal entity structure," the firm said. It does not expect any impact on its earnings or net tangible assets for the current financial year.

Moody's Investors Service has upgraded the corporate family rating of Geo Energy Resources to Caa1, from Caa3 previously. The credit rating agency also upgraded the senior unsecured guaranteed notes issued by Geo Coal International (GCI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Geo Energy, to Caa1 from Caa3.

Source: SGX Masnet, The Business Times, Bloomberg, Channel NewsAsia, Reuters, PSR