Southeast Asian stocks: Most higher; M'sia posts best gain in 19 months

BANGKOK: Most Southeast Asian stocks rose on Monday as energy shares staged a strong rebound in line with a rise in crude oil prices, with the Malaysian index posting its best gain in more than 19 months and the Thai benchmark closing near a two-week high.
    Oil rose above $62 a barrel, mirroring gains in equities, as
investors became confident there would be no further substantial
price loss in the run-up to the new year. 
    Kuala Lumpur's composite index, which measures moves
of 30 large-cap stocks, rose 1.6 percent, its best daily gain
since May 2013. Sapurakencana Petroleum was the top
percentage gainer with a rise of 6.7 percent.
    Bangkok's SET index finished up 1.5 percent at
1,536.83, the highest closing level since Dec. 9. PTT 
and PTT exploration and Production rallied more than
4 percent each.
    "The market performed better than expected today because of
inflows from 'domestic trigger funds' and a rally in large-cap
energy shares" said Chakkrit Charoenmetachai, a senior analyst
with AEC Securities.
    Traders said the SET index could be capped at a key
resistance of 1,555 towards the end of the year due to a lack of
foreign investor participation in the holiday season.
    Singapore's Straits Times Index climbed 1.6
percent, its best single-day rise since September 2013. The
Philippine index ended slightly higher and Vietnam 
jumped 2.8 percent. 
    Indonesia bucked the trend. The index fell 0.4
percent, erasing earlier gains, led by large caps Astra
International and Bank Central Asia.        
    
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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS
 Change on day
 Market             Current     Prev Close    Pct Move
 Singapore          3330.96       3279.53       +1.57
 Kuala Lumpur       1744.05       1715.99       +1.64
 Bangkok            1536.83       1514.35       +1.48
 Jakarta            5125.77       5144.62       -0.37
 Manila             7139.27       7125.63       +0.19
 Ho Chi Minh         537.54        523.09       +2.76
 
 Change on year
 Market             Current       End 2013    Pct Move
 Singapore          3330.96       3167.43       +5.16
 Kuala Lumpur       1744.05       1866.96       -6.58
 Bangkok            1536.83       1298.71      +18.34
 Jakarta            5125.77       4274.18      +19.92
 Manila             7139.27       5889.83      +21.21
 Ho Chi Minh         537.54        504.63       +6.52
- Reuetrs