SE Asia Stocks- Indonesia rises to 3-wk high; Singapore, Malaysia extend gains

BANGKOK, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Indonesian stocks hit a near

3-week closing high on Wednesday, while Singapore and Malaysia

rose for a sixth successive session as increased risk appetite

by investors boosted regional bourses after surprisingly robust

U.S. economic growth data.

Regional large caps such as Singapore Telecommunications

and Malaysia's Malayan Banking led the

gainers after revised data on Tuesday showed the U.S. economy

grew at 5 percent in the third quarter, the quickest pace in 11

years.

The Jakarta composite index ended 0.5 percent higher

at 5,166.98, the highest close since Dec. 5, after Tuesday's

modest rise. Vietnam gained 0.3 percent.

Singapore's key Straits Times Index finished up 0.4

percent, building on the 3.7 percent gains seen over the past

five days. The key Malaysian index firmed slightly,

further recovering from a low of 1,673.94 hit on Dec. 16.

Thai shares, however, fell for the second day,

erasing midsession gains to close 0.4 percent lower amid late

profit-taking in large caps such as Bangkok Bank which

edged down 0.3 percent.

"For short-term strategy, we see a good opportunity to

accumulate big-cap stocks, such as Kasikornbank, Bangkok Bank

... to lock in gains on the year-end window dressing,"

strategists at broker Phillip Securities wrote in a report.

Foreign investors bought Malaysian shares worth a net 47

million ringgit ($13.45 million) and Thai shares worth a net 118

million baht ($3.59 million), stock exchange data showed.

Singapore and Malaysia will be closed for Christmas on

Thursday. Indonesia will be shut on Thursday and Friday.

The Philippine stock market is closed on Wednesday through

Friday for the Christmas holidays, and will reopen on Monday.

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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Change on day

Market Current Prev Close Pct Move

Singapore 3345.91 3332.51 +0.40

Kuala Lumpur 1749.74 1749.05 +0.04

Bangkok 1525.06 1531.17 -0.40

Jakarta 5166.98 5139.17 +0.54

Ho Chi Minh 539.44 537.88 +0.29

Change on year

Market Current End 2013 Pct Move

Singapore 3345.91 3167.43 +5.63

Kuala Lumpur 1749.74 1866.96 -6.28

Bangkok 1525.06 1298.71 +17.43

Jakarta 5166.98 4274.18 +20.89

Manila -- 5889.83 +22.01

Ho Chi Minh 539.44 504.63 +6.90

($1 = 3.4950 ringgit)

($1 = 12,465.0000 rupiah)

($1 = 32.8700 baht)

(Reporting by Viparat Jantraprap; Editing by Biju Dwarakanath)