Most Southeast Asian stock markets fell on Thursday, fretting over a downbeat economic view from the US Federal Reserve, and weaknesses in energy prices dampened sentiment in the sector across the region. Malaysia eased 0.4 percent, retreating from a two-day rally to 10-week highs, Indonesia, which scaled a record high at one point, ended down 0.1 percent, the Philippines lost 0.1 percent and Vietnam fell 1 percent.
Thailand ended up 0.25 percent, however, although it was in negative territory part of the day, while Singapore rose 1 percent to 2,955.67 amid optimism about the earnings of big firms. Energy shares were among weak spots in the region as US crude for September declined as much as 40 cents to $76.16 in Asian trade. Malaysia's top power producer, Tenaga Nasional, and Indonesian oil and gas firm PT Medco Energi International both fell almost 1 percent. In Bangkok, investors bought telecoms shares on renewed optimism about third-generation mobile phone services, with a long-awaited auction for 3G licences now due in September. Singapore-listed Total Access shot up 7.3 percent.
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