* Telekom Indonesia hits over 1-month low
* Singapore snaps three straight sessions of gains
* Malaysia's central bank holds interest-rate steady
By Anushka Trivedi
Sept 12 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets
closed lower on Thursday, with Indonesia falling the most, as
signs of relief in the U.S.-China trade conflict failed to boost
sentiment.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday reciprocated to
Beijing's move to exempt levying charges on some American
imports by announcing a two-week delay to a scheduled tariff
increase on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods. "External environment has turned worse since the last
meeting, with further tariffs being imposed. Heightened trade
tension is clearly set to stay despite resumption of trade talks
and this will continue to cast a dark cloud over global economy"
analysts at Mizuho said in a note.
In a thin trading session, Indonesian benchmark .JKSE
slipped 0.6%, dented by a near 2% fall in PT Telekomunikasi
Indonesia Tbk's TLKM.JK stock.
The country's biggest telecom services provider hit its
lowest in over one month, as it faces hurdles by launch of
Stroomnet, a new broadband service by a state-run electricity
corporation, said Anugerah Zamzami Nasr, an equity research
analyst at Phillip Sekuritas Indonesia.
"Furthermore, recent interest from CK Hutchison 0001.HK to
acquire XL Axiata EXCL.JK could be viewed as a slight
challenge to Telekom's market share and pricing power", he
added.
Philippine stocks .PSI dropped 0.3%, with heavyweights
such as SM Investment Corp SM.PS and fast-food retailer
Jollibee Foods Corp JFC.PS losing 1.1% and 1.7%, respectively.
Singapore's main index .STI snapped a three-day gaining
streak to end 0.3% lower, with industrial conglomerate Jardine
Matheson Holdings JARD.SI losing the most on the benchmark.
Jardine Matheson's stock fell 4% on Thursday after adding
about 8.3% in the past three days.
Malaysian shares .KLSE dipped slightly after the country's
central bank stood pat on its key interest rate, in line with a
Reuters consensus. Bank Negara Malaysia expects the export-reliant nation's
economy to hold its ground on the back of resilient domestic
activity, but has flagged concerns arising from the Sino-U.S.
trade war.
Bucking the regional trend, Vietnam shares .VNI gained
0.7%.
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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS
STOCK MARKETS
Change on the day
Market Current Previous close Pct Move
Singapore 3194.96 3204.52 -0.30
Bangkok 1660.68 1674.03 -0.80
Manila 7944.43 7967.90 -0.29
Jakarta 6342.174 6381.954 -0.62
Kuala Lumpur 1601 1602.3 -0.08
Ho Chi Minh 976.07 969.31 0.70
Change so far in 2019
Market Current End 2018 Pct Move
Singapore 3194.96 3068.76 4.11
Bangkok 1660.68 1563.88 6.19
Manila 7944.43 7,466.02 6.41
Jakarta 6342.174 6,194.50 2.38
Kuala Lumpur 1601 1690.58 -5.30
Ho Chi Minh 976.07 892.54 9.36