* Philippines leads gains, up over 1%
* Singapore at over 2-week high
* Thailand marks best session in over a month
By Arundhati Dutta
Dec 13 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian markets ended on a
high note on Friday, as reports said the United States and China
may soon diffuse their prolonged trade war, while the prospect
of a swift Brexit after Boris Johnson's UK poll win also boosted
risk sentiment.
Washington would suspend some existing tariffs and delay
fresh tariffs on Chinese goods, while Beijing would buy $50
billion in U.S. farm goods in 2020, sources familiar with the
matter said. However, "after such an interminable wait and having being
led to water before, I would like to see something official in
writing," Jeffrey Halley, market analyst at OANDA, said in a
note.
Elsewhere, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson secured a
landslide election victory, which would allow him to take
Britain out of the European Union within weeks. Leading gains in the region, Philippine index .PSI marked
its best session in over a month.
Conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp MPI.PS rose as
much as 16.7% and had its best day in over a decade after its
unit Metro Pacific Hospital Holdings said it plans to buy a
majority stake in Santos Clinic. Thai shares .SETI had their best day in over a month. A
spike in oil prices boosted the country's energy sector. O/R
Petroleum products supplier PTT Pcl PTT.BK posted its
highest intraday percentage gain in over three months.
Blue chip financial stocks pushed the Singapore benchmark
.STI to its highest level in over two weeks. United Overseas
Bank UOBH.SI and DBS Group Holdings DBSM.SI rose 2.2% and
1.4%, respectively.
Indonesian stocks .JKSE advanced on financials, with PT
Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk BMRI.JK and PT Bank Negara
Indonesia (Persero) Tbk BBNI.JK posting significant gains.
Bucking the trend, Vietnam .VNI slipped on real estate
stocks. However, the index ended firmer this week after four
straight weeks of falls.
For Asian Companies click;
SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS
STOCK MARKETS
Change on the day
Market Current Previous close Pct Move
Singapore 3214.05 3194.67 0.61
Bangkok 1573.91 1563.85 0.64
Manila 7877.63 7741.07 1.76
Jakarta 6197.318 6139.397 0.94
Kuala Lumpur 1571.16 1567.34 0.24
Ho Chi Minh 966.18 968.17 -0.21
Change so far in 2019
Market Current End 2018 Pct Move
Singapore 3214.05 3068.76 4.73
Bangkok 1573.91 1563.88 0.64
Manila 7877.63 7,466.02 5.51
Jakarta 6197.318 6,194.50 0.05
Kuala Lumpur 1571.16 1690.58 -7.06
Ho Chi Minh 966.18 892.54 8.25