Daily Briefing: Noble Group surges amidst stake build speculation; Bukit Sembawang sells 18 Watercove units

And here's the advantage of buying an HDB flat as early on in life as possible.

From Bloomberg via Yahoo!: Noble Group Ltd., the commodity trader that’s struggling for survival after a multiyear stock rout and concerns it may default, surged in Singapore, with the shares heading for the highest close since May amid speculation that an investor may be building a stake. Stock in the Hong Kong-based company advanced as much as 38 percent to 65 Singapore cents and traded at 64 cents at 4:55 p.m. local time. While the company is rebounding from an intraday low of 28.5 cents on June 6, it’s still lost more than 60 percent this year.

From PropertyGuru: Watercove, Bukit Sembawang Estate’s seafront project, sold at least 18 units ahead of its official launch. Urban Redevelopment Authority caveats showed that the units were sold from around S$2.3 million, which works out to an average psf price of around S$738. Located in Kampong Wak Hassan, Sembawang, the 80-unit freehold project includes a mix of corner terrace, terrace and semi-detached units, with sizes ranging from 3,200 sq ft to 4,400 sq ft.

From MoneySmart via Yahoo!: Many Singaporeans put off buying a home until they’ve got enough money. But buying a home when you’re young and broke can come with a big advantage: you qualify for more government grants when your income is lower. For instance, if you and your fiancé/spouse have a combined income of $4,001 to $4,500, you will qualify for $50,000 worth of housing grants. Apply for a modest BTO flat that costs around $100,000 and you will only have to pay $50,000 for your entire flat. On the other hand, if you wait until your combined income has risen to the point where it is between $8,001 to $8,500, the total amount of housing grants you will qualify for is a measly $5,000.