Advertisement
Singapore markets close in 6 hours 28 minutes
  • Straits Times Index

    3,175.99
    +4.06 (+0.13%)
     
  • Nikkei

    39,508.62
    -231.82 (-0.58%)
     
  • Hang Seng

    16,666.21
    -70.91 (-0.42%)
     
  • FTSE 100

    7,722.55
    -4.87 (-0.06%)
     
  • Bitcoin USD

    66,293.56
    -1,154.53 (-1.71%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • S&P 500

    5,149.42
    +32.33 (+0.63%)
     
  • Dow

    38,790.43
    +75.66 (+0.20%)
     
  • Nasdaq

    16,103.45
    +130.27 (+0.82%)
     
  • Gold

    2,164.60
    +0.30 (+0.01%)
     
  • Crude Oil

    82.67
    -0.05 (-0.06%)
     
  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.3400
    +0.0360 (+0.84%)
     
  • FTSE Bursa Malaysia

    1,548.39
    -5.25 (-0.34%)
     
  • Jakarta Composite Index

    7,341.85
    +39.40 (+0.54%)
     
  • PSE Index

    6,878.22
    +24.93 (+0.36%)
     

SE Asia Stocks-Lacklustre ahead of Yellen speech

By Krishna V Kurup

Aug 25 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian stock markets were

lacklustre on Thursday after an overnight drop on Wall Street,

while the dollar rose ahead of a speech by Federal Reserve Chair

Janet Yellen at a global central bankers' meeting.

Market expectations have increased that Yellen might

indicate a clearer time frame for the next U.S. rate hike after

strong housing data this week and hawkish comments by other Fed

officials, but many analysts expect her to strike a more neutral

stance.

Indonesian stocks rose 0.5 percent and were headed for their

first gain in three sessions, led by consumer cyclicals and

ADVERTISEMENT

utilities.

The Jakarta Composite Index had gained 17.7 percent

this year as of Wednesday's close, boosted by President Joko

Widodo's economic reforms, though investors worry about buying

more of a market hitting historic peaks.

Trimegah Securities said in a note that it expected mild

correction for the index on Thursday with possible technical

rebound the following day.

Astra International Tbk PT rose 2.1 percent, while

Perusahaan Gas Negara (Persero) Tbk PT gained 1.3

percent.

Vietnamese shares were lower after two sessions of

gains, with healthcare stocks dragging down the index. Dhg

Pharmaceutical Joint-Stock Co dropped 0.5 percent.

Ahead of Yellen's speech and given the weakness on Wall

Street and lower commodity prices, the Vietnamese market is

declining, said Fiachra MacCana, head of research at Ho Chi Minh

Securities.

"There is a hint of nervousness in air with investors

expecting the speech to lay out a possible rationale for a rate

hike before the year-end," MacCana said.

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

was up 0.2 percent at 0440 GMT.

For Asian Companies click;

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

STOCK MARKETS

Change at 0440 GMT

Market Current Prev close Pct Move

Singapore 2872.64 2869.57 0.11

Bangkok 1552.83 1547.55 0.34

Manila 7856.1 7866.13 -0.13

Jakarta 5430.087 5403.992 0.48

Kuala Lumpur 1685.28 1682.06 0.19

Ho Chi Minh 659.25 660.77 -0.23

Change on year

Market Current End 2015 Pct Move

Singapore 2872.64 2882.73 -0.35

Bangkok 1552.83 1288.02 20.56

Manila 7856.1 6952.08 13.00

Jakarta 5430.087 4593.008 18.23

Kuala Lumpur 1685.28 1692.51 -0.43

Ho Chi Minh 659.25 579.03 13.85

(Reporting by Krishna V Kurup in Bengaluru; Editing by

Subhranshu Sahu)