SE Asia Stocks-Gain as China trade data lifts mood; S'pore rallies

By Nikhil Nainan

Dec 8 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian stock markets gained on

Friday as stronger-than-expected China trade data and the U.S.

government avoiding a shutdown buoyed risk sentiment, with

Singapore rebounding sharply after this week's losing streak.

China's exports and imports unexpectedly accelerated last

month after slowing in October, an encouraging sign for the

world's second-biggest economy which has started to slow in the

face of a government crackdown on debt risks and factory

pollution.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan

rose 0.4 percent after the U.S. Congress worked

late into the night on Thursday to push through a short-term

funding bill, that averts a government shutdown, at least for

the moment.

Singapore shares rose nearly 1 percent, marking their

biggest gain in close to three weeks.

Top lenders, DBS Group Holdings, Oversea-Chinese

Banking Corp and United Overseas Bank posted

gains in the range of 1.1 percent to 1.9 percent.

Indonesian shares recouped the previous session's

losses, rising 0.5 percent, with financials such as Bank Central

Asia Tbk PT and Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk PT

leading the gains.

Ratings agency Fitch said on Thursday growth in Indonesia

was expected to pick up sharply in 2018 with help of a brighter

investment climate and stabilisation of commodity prices.

Philippine shares rose 0.8 percent to their highest

in a week, with real estate heavyweights SM Prime Holdings Inc

and Ayala Land rising 1.8 percent and 1.9

percent, respectively.

Malaysian stocks rose 0.3 percent with Sime Darby

Bhd and its recently spun off unit Sime Darby

Plantation Bhd driving the gains.

Thai shares inched up 0.2 percent, as utility stocks

gained, with Global Power Synergy PCL rising 5.9

percent.

For Asian Companies click;

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS: CHANGE AT 0441 GMT

Change at 0441 GMT

Market Current Previous close Pct Move

Singapore 3418.13 3388.14 0.89

Bangkok 1707.07 1703.37 0.22

Manila 8239.21 8174.93 0.79

Jakarta 6033.971 6006.835 0.45

Kuala Lumpur 1723.29 1719.05 0.25

Ho Chi Minh 942.9 938.65 0.45

Change so far this year

Market Current End 2016 Pct Move

Singapore 3418.13 2880.76 18.65

Bangkok 1707.07 1542.94 10.64

Manila 8239.21 6840.64 20.45

Jakarta 6033.971 5296.711 13.92

Kuala Lumpur 1723.29 1641.73 4.97

Ho Chi Minh 942.9 664.87 41.82

(Reporting by Nikhil Kurian Nainan in Bengaluru; Editing by

Amrutha Gayathri)