Singapore to protect local investors who dealt with MF Global

SINGAPORE Nov 2 (Reuters) - Singapore's central bank said on Wednesday it would prioritise safeguarding the interests of investors who had dealings with the Singapore unit of collapsed broker MF Global .

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) also said in a late night statement it had been informed there were about 1,000 active contracts-for-differences (CFDs) accounts with MF Global Singapore.

Several brokerages in the city-state used the U.S. firm as a counterparty to their contract-for-difference (CFD) products, a popular retail investment product.

"MAS is working closely with the MFGS-appointed provisional liquidators from KPMG to safeguard investors' interests," the central bank said.

Dozens of retail investors in Singapore, trying to salvage their doomed investments, gathered outside the local MF Global office on Wednesday, to be told their trading positions were closed and their funds were frozen.

"The provisional liquidators have stated that they are working with MFGS (MF Global Singapore) to verify records in relation to customers' segregated accounts, and to verify customers' ownership to the monies and assets in such accounts," the central bank said.

MF Global Holdings Ltd filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday following bad bets on euro zone debt. .