Most southeast Asian stock markets rose on Thursday as higher crude prices and positive sentiment from overnight gains on Wall Street drove up shares in the region, while Singapore closed at an over one-month high. US banking shares rallied after the Fed approved plans from the 34 largest lenders to use extra capital for stock buybacks, dividends and other purposes. Meanwhile, crude oil rose for a sixth straight session to its highest since June 19 on a decline in US output.
"Last week, there was concern with lower-than-expected inventories and so forth. Now that oil prices have stabilized, the market is reacting positively," said Victor Felix, an equity analyst with AB Capital Securities. Singapore shares closed 1.3 percent higher as heavyweights DBS Group Holdings and United Overseas Bank gained 2.5 percent each.
Singapore's central bank said its investment gains on official foreign reserves quadrupled to S$21.9 billion ($15.80 billion) in the last financial year, helped by a recovery in the global financial market. Vietnam shares rose 0.4 percent as Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam rose 1.8 percent and Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank gained 2.3 percent.
Philippine shares closed 0.9 percent lower at an over one-month low, dragged by the real estate and telecommunications sectors. PLDT and Ayala Land fell 3.6 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively. "The Philippine peso is weakening against the dollar. That is also putting pressure on equities," Felix added.
Investors have trimmed their long positions in most Asian currencies compared with two weeks ago, a Reuters poll showed, amid jitters that the European Central Bank may be getting ready to reduce its aggressive monetary stimulus. Indonesia's financial markets were closed on account of a national holiday.
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