* Thai index has best week in 4-1/2 years
* Indonesia up for second day
* The Philippines and Malaysia flat
By Arundhati Dutta
April 3 (Reuters) - Singaporean markets slumped on Friday
after the city-state shutdown most businesses to fight the
coronavirus, while the energy-heavy Thai index was boosted by
rallying oil prices and hopes of stimulus to support its
economy.
Singaporean stocks .STI closed down 2.6%, weighed down by
losses in heavyweight conglomerates Jardine Cycle & Carriage Ltd
JCYC.SI and Jardine Strategic Holdings Ltd JSH.SI .
Singapore will close schools and most workplaces, except for
essential services like supermarkets and banks for a month, as
its infections have been rising sharply in recent
weeks.
Elsewhere, Benchmark Brent crude oil futures rose above $30
a barrel on Friday after soaring as much as 47% in the previous
session, on expectations of a huge global supply cut deal to
support prices. O/R
Thailand stocks .SETI closed marginally higher and posted
its best week since October 2015. Energy heavyweights PTT Pcl
PTT.BK and PTT Exploration and Production Pcl PTTEP.BK
gained over 5% each.
Also aiding Thai sentiment was Deputy Prime Minister Somkid
Jatusripitak's statement that new economic measures to ease
virus impact would be worth 10% of GDP. Shares in Vietnam .VNI added over 3%, boosted by gains in
the real estate sector.
The Philippines, the world's top rice buyer, said on
Thursday it has secured Vietnam's commitment for continuous
supply of the staple food, which may include a 300,000-tonne
importation.
Vietnamese markets were closed on Thursday for a holiday.
Indonesian equities .JKSE gained 2%, with financials
boosting the index. PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk BMRI.JK and
PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk BBNI.JK rose 5.8% and
4.2%, respectively.
Indonesian palm producers have no plans to reduce workers'
hours or other activities despite virus, an industry body said
on Friday. Indonesia is the world's largest producer of palm oil.
Shares in Malaysia .KLSE and the Philippines .PSI ended
flat.
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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS
STOCK MARKETS
Change on the
day
Market Current Previous Pct Move
close
Singapore 2389.29 2453.03 -2.60
Bangkok 1138.84 1138.27 0.05
Manila 5346.97 5342.31 0.09
Jakarta 4623.429 4531.685 2.02
Kuala Lumpur 1330.65 1330.9 -0.02
Ho Chi Minh 701.8 680.23 3.17
Change so far
in 2020
Market Current End 2019 Pct Move
Singapore 2389.29 3222.83 -25.86
Bangkok 1138.84 1579.84 -27.91
Manila 5346.97 7,815.26 -31.58
Jakarta 4623.429 6,299.54 -26.61
Kuala Lumpur 1330.65 1588.76 -16.25
Ho Chi Minh 701.8 960.99 -26.97