SE Asia Stocks-Indonesia leads gains, Thailand set to snap 3-session rise
* Malaysia rises to highest in near 3-weeks * Philippines on track to post second consecutive gain By Shreya Mariam Job May 29 (Reuters) - Indonesian stocks were the top gainers among Southeast Asian markets on Wednesday, recovering most of their losses from the previous session, while strong corporate results continued to boost Malaysian shares. The Jakarta SE Composite index rose 1%, helped by financials as well as telecom stocks. Shares of Bank Central Asia gained 0.8%, while those of Telekomunikasi Indonesia climbed 3.5%. The country has been tackling political turmoil following the re-election of President Joko Widodo, with riots claiming lives and injuring hundreds, which has left investors largely uncertain. However, foreign inflows into government bonds continued even during the unrest, Indonesia's central bank Governor Perry Warjiyo told Reuters in an interview. "From May 20 through May 22, during the height of the unrest, there was a foreign inflow of around 3.5 trillion rupiah into government bonds." Thai stocks edged lower and were on track to snap three straight sessions of gains. Energy and healthcare stocks led declines with Bangkok Dusit Medical Services PCL and PTT PCL shedding 1.9% and 1.1%, respectively. Meanwhile, Malaysian shares rose as much as 0.7% to their highest level since May 9, with state utility firm Tenaga Nasional Bhd contributing to most of the gains. Tenaga added as much as 7% during the session, rising to a more than one month high, after posting strong quarterly results on Tuesday. Petronas Gas Bhd also extended gains for a second session due to strong earnings rise of 1.8%. Philippine stocks extended gains to a second consecutive session, with real estate and financial stocks driving the index. "This has more to do with investor sentiment than any tangible economic data... These developments on the trade war must have already been priced in," said Charles William Ang, associate analyst at COL Financial Group. Shares of SM Prime Holdings Inc and BDO Unibank Inc advanced 0.5% and 1.4%, respectively. Meanwhile, Singapore shares dipped, in line with broader Asian markets, as industrial and consumer stocks dragged the index. Jardine Strategic Holdings Ltd shed 1.2%, while Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp slid 0.6%. Vietnam stocks edged lower. The country's trade deficit widened to $1.3 billion in May, from $550 million in April, while consumer prices for the month rose 2.88% from a year earlier. For Asian Companies click; SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS As at 0426 GMT Change on the day Market Current Previous close Pct Move Singapore 3156.88 3165.32 -0.27 Bangkok 1627.75 1632.04 -0.26 Manila 7809.06 7761.29 0.62 Jakarta 6094.399 6033.142 1.02 Kuala Lumpur 1625.17 1614.57 0.66 Ho Chi Minh 970.71 972 -0.13 Change so far in 2019 Market Current End 2018 Pct Move Singapore 3156.88 3068.76 2.87 Bangkok 1627.75 1563.88 4.08 Manila 7809.06 7,466.02 4.59 Jakarta 6094.399 6,194.50 -1.62 Kuala Lumpur 1625.17 1690.58 -3.87 Ho Chi Minh 970.71 892.54 8.76 (Reporting by Shreya Mariam Job in Bengaluru; editing by Uttaresh.V)
