SE Asia Stocks-Indonesia falls to 3-week low; Thai weak amid political tension

BANGKOK, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock

markets fell on Friday amid uncertainties over the prospect of a

U.S. stimulus cut, with weak earnings adding selling pressure on

Indonesian shares, while political tensions weighed on Thai

stocks.

Asian shares struggled on Friday, as surveys showing

improvement in Chinese manufacturing activity were eclipsed by

anxiety over when the U.S. Federal Reserve will start to taper

its massive stimulus after upbeat U.S. data.

Stocks in Indonesia and Thailand underperformed the region.

Jakarta's Composite Index (JCI) fell 1.3 percent to

4,450.43, the lowest since Oct. 9, in relatively active volume.

Bank Rakyat Indonesia, the most actively traded, slid

3.2 percent to its lowest in more than three weeks.

Shares in PT Astra International and PT Bumi

Resources slipped into negative territory after both

reported weak results for the nine months ended September.

The benchmark JCI is poised to end the week 2.9 percent

lower, Southeast Asia's worst performer. Foreign investors sold

a net 192,741 million rupiah ($17.1 million) in the week to

Thursday, Thomson Reuters data showed.

Bangkok's SET index was down 1 percent in thin

market, led by losses in Kasikornbank and Siam

Commercial Bank, amid protests against the political

amnesty bill.

It is on track for a weekly loss of 1.8 percent, a second

consecutive week of decline, with net foreign selling of $34

million so far in the week to Thursday.

Brokers said investors should reduce risk holdings in the

near term due to political uncertainty.

"Investors should closely watch for the number of protesters

joining tonight and also this weekend after the House passed the

2nd and 3rd readings of the amnesty bill early this morning,"

strategists at Maybank Kim Eng Securities wrote in a note to

clients.

The Philippine stock market is shut on Friday.

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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Change at 0826 GMT

Market Current Prev Close Pct Move

TR SE Asia Index* 417.56 421.28 -0.88

Singapore 3198.22 3210.67 -0.38

Kuala Lumpur 1808.90 1806.85 +0.11

Bangkok 1428.38 1442.88 -1.00

Jakarta 4450.43 4510.63 -1.33

Ho Chi Minh 497.08 497.41 -0.07