Stocks in Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam posted modest gains on Friday with some South-east Asian markets closed for holiday, while investors awaited the release of US jobs data later in the day for clues on when the Fed will raise interest rates.
Thailand's key SET index edged up 0.25 percent on the day and 2.73 percent on the week, its first gain in seven weeks.
Tourism stocks such as hotelier Central Plaza Hotel and Minor International advanced, with brokers citing the lifting of martial law imposed 10 months ago as the key catalyst.
Airline stocks ended mixed, with national carrier Thai Airways International erasing early gains to close higher 0.8 percent, while budget carrier Nok Airlines fell 1.7 percent, recouping some of its early loss.
Thai Transport Minister Air Chief Marshall Prajin Junthong said on Friday Japan's civil aviation agency has agreed to temporarily lift a ban preventing Thailand-registered airlines from operating charter flights to Japan from April 11 to May 31.
Malaysia climbed 1.2 percent on the week, its third consecutive week. Vietnam posted a fourth consecutive week of losses, down 0.7 percent.
Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia were closed on Friday for a market holiday, ending the trading week up 0.11 percent, 1.46 percent and 1.10 percent, respectively.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up about 0.4 percent on the day. Data showing an unexpected fall in the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits boosted sentiment before the US Labour Department's nonfarm payrolls report for March, which will be released on the Good Friday holiday.
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