SE Asia Stocks-Most markets fall as risk-off from oil rout persists

by Theleaders-Online | April 22, 2020 5:40 am

Most Southeast Asian stock markets fell for a second session on Wednesday as the collapse of oil prices earlier this week underscored supply glut worries and exposed the severity of the damage to demand from the coronavirus pandemic.

The week so far has seen some of the most volatile days in the history of oil trading, with prices for U.S. crude turning negative, as inventories swelled and finding storage spaces became difficult, prompting investors to digest that demand worries could last for several months.

“The tone from yesterday’s sell-off will likely be carried over to today, with expectations for a deep and lasting economic downturn likely to dominate trading,” analysts at ING said in a note.

The Philippine benchmark fell as much as 2.3% to its lowest level since April 6, as consumer stocks weighed. Restaurant chain owner Jollibee Foods shed as much as 3.8% and Robinsons Retail tumbled nearly 3%. Singapore’s Straits Times Index declined 1.5% to hit its lowest in two weeks. Keppel Corp tumbled as much as nearly 2%, while Genting Singapore hit a two-week low.

Malaysian stocks shed as much as 1.6% to touch its lowest since April 14. CIMB Group slid as much as 3.6% to a low of over two weeks, while IOI Corp fell 3.4% to its lowest since March 26.

Malaysia’s consumer prices in March fell for the first time in more than a year, declining 0.2% from a year earlier amid lower transport costs, government data showed on Wednesday.

Thai stocks shed as much as nearly 1%, with LH Financial hitting a near two-week low and G J Steel falling around 16.7%.

Meanwhile, Indonesia firmed as much as 0.9%. Pelayaran Nelly rose about 34%, while Grand Kartech advanced 24.8%.

The country’s finance ministry said on Tuesday nearly 10 trillion rupiah ($644.33 million) was raised from a biweekly Islamic bonds auction, above the indicative target of 7 trillion rupiah.

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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS AS AT 0348 GMT

Change on the day                                       
  Market             Current      Previous close  Pct Move
  Singapore          2515.6       2551.92         -1.42
  Bangkok            1233.78      1252.92         -1.53
  Manila             5511.07      5592.25         -1.45
  Jakarta            4525.268     4501.919        0.52
  Kuala Lumpur       1366.48      1381.73         -1.10
 Ho Chi Minh         760.63       766.84          -0.81
                                                  
  Change so far in                                
 2020                                             
  Market             Current      End 2019        Pct Move
  Singapore          2515.6       3222.83         -21.94
  Bangkok            1233.78      1579.84         -21.90
  Manila             5511.07      7,815.26        -29.48
  Jakarta            4525.268     6,299.54        -28.17
  Kuala Lumpur       1366.48      1588.76         -13.99
  Ho Chi Minh        760.63       960.99          -20.85

Reuters

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