SE Asia Stocks-Vietnam hits 9-yr high as focus returns to banks

By Geo Tharappel

Feb 15 (Reuters) - Vietnam shares hit their highest since

Feb 2008 on Wednesday, led by gains in financials, while most

other Southeast Asian markets rose ahead of key U.S. economic

data that could influence Federal Reserve's rate hike decision.

The consumer price index is expected to have risen 0.3

percent in January after a similar gain in December, while

retail sales are likely to have risen 0.1 percent in January

after advancing 0.6 percent the previous month.

Vietnam index rose for a fourth straight session to

close 0.8 percent higher. Trading volumes were 1.5 times the

30-day average.

"It looks like basket trading in a couple of key stocks ...

we are seeing a return to favour of some of the banks," said

Fiachra Mac Cana, head of research at Ho Chi Minh Securities.

"We are sitting on top of a major resistance line right now

... we may see the markets consolidate at current levels," Mac

Cana added.

Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade

added 3.5 percent to end at its highest in nearly 15

months. Vietcombank gained 0.8 percent.

Vingroup JSC rose 4.6 percent to close at its

highest since Sept. 30, 2016. The real estate company's stock

traded heavily, clocking over four-times its 30-day average.

Singapore rose 0.5 percent, lifted primarily by Thai

Beverage PCL, up 6.8 percent at its highest in three

months after reporting a 28 percent jump in its quarterly net

profit.

Index heavyweight Singapore Telecommunications Ltd

rose 0.8 percent to close at its highest since Oct 2016.

Philippines reversed early gains and fell 0.5 percent

to its lowest in almost a month, weighed down by financial

stocks.

Conglomerate Ayala Corp and Bank of the Philippine

Islands closed 1.8 percent lower. In contrast,

International Container Terminal Services Inc gained

2.8 percent, recovering from the previous sessions heavy losses.

The Indonesian stock market was closed for local

elections.

For Asian Companies click;

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS : Change on day

Market Current prev close Pct Move

Singapore 3088.48 3072.47 0.52

Bangkok 1573.37 1572.24 0.07

Manila 7174.3 7206.84 -0.45

Kuala Lumpur 1709.79 1708.9 0.05

Ho Chi Minh 711.57 706.26 0.75

Change this year

Market Current End 2016 Pct Move

Singapore 3088.48 2880.76 7.21

Bangkok 1573.37 1542.94 1.97

Manila 7174.3 6840.64 4.88

Kuala Lumpur 1709.79 1641.73 4.15

Ho Chi Minh 711.57 664.87 7.02

(Reporting by Geo Tharappel in Bengaluru; Additional reporting

by Sandhya Sampath; Editing by Vyas Mohan)