SE Asia Stocks-Mostly firmer; Malaysia closes at record high

Oct 23 (Reuters) - Malaysian shares closed at a record high

on Wednesday, led by shares in SapuraKencana Petroleum Bhd

, while most other indexes in Southeast Asia ended

firmer, though they surrendered some of the early gains on fears

over tighter policy in China after a weak U.S. jobs data report.

Malaysia's main share index ended 0.6 percent higher

at 1,814.11, its all-time closing high, surpassing an earlier

peak close of 1810.00 hit on July 24, Thomson Reuters data

showed.

Malaysian oilfield service provider SapuraKencana's shares

jumped 5.4 percent, outperforming the broader market, after it

agreed to pay $898 million to buy Newfield Exploration Co's

Malaysian oil and gas assets.

Other markets ended moderately firmer as concerns about a

weaker U.S. economy after disappointing jobs data on Tuesday

kept the gains in check.

Expectations of tighter monetary policy in China also

weighed on the markets. Beijing is concerned that unexpected

increases in inflation and property prices may be partly

attributable to liquidity washing into the interbank market.

Jakarta's Composite Index gained 0.8 percent, led by

financials. The Philippines' share index added 0.5

percent to a more than two-month high.

Vietnam, the region's best performing index this

year, rose 0.7 percent to its highest since late August, lifted

by an optimistic economic outlook, analysts said.

Singapore bucked the trend with the benchmark Straits Times

Index ending down 0.2 percent, led by a 0.8 percent

fall in Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. The index

touched a one-month high of 3235.25 in early trade.

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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Change on day

Market Current Prev Close Pct Move

TR SE Asia Index* 422.17 420.96 +0.29

Singapore 3204.80 3210.21 -0.17

Kuala Lumpur 1814.11 1803.58 +0.58

Bangkok - 1457.36 -

Jakarta 4546.50 4512.74 +0.75

Manila 6635.11 6603.60 +0.48

Ho Chi Minh 504.05 500.57 +0.70

Change on year

Market Current End prev yr Pct Move

TR SE Asia Index* 422.17 424.10 -0.45

Singapore 3204.80 3167.08 +1.19

Kuala Lumpur 1814.11 1688.95 +7.41

Bangkok 1457.36 1391.93 +4.70

Jakarta 4546.50 4316.69 +5.32

Manila 6635.11 5812.73 +14.51

Ho Chi Minh 504.05 413.73 +20.33

* The Thomson Reuters South East Asia Index is a

highly representative indicator of stocks listed in Indonesia,

Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.