* Indonesia on track for second monthly drop
* Thailand slips ahead of August trade data
By Soumyajit Saha
Sept 30 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets
opened lower on Monday as fears mounted of an escalation in
Sino-U.S. trade tensions after news that Washington is
considering de-listing Chinese companies from U.S. stock
exchanges.
The U.S. administration is considering de-listing Chinese
companies to limit U.S. investment in Chinese companies, Reuters
reported on Friday quoting sources briefed on the matter.
"The timing of this story right on the cusp of another round
of high-level trade talk between the world's most massive
economies adds another layer of muck to an already befouled
trade war narrative," said Stephen Innes, Asia Pacific market
strategist at AxiTrader.
Adding to the gloom, China's factory activity shrank for the
fifth straight month in September, pointing to persistent
pressure on Southeast Asia's biggest trading partner from the
protracted trade war. Indonesian shares .JKSE fell the most in Southeast Asia,
weighed down by financial and consumer stocks.
Consumer goods company Unilever Indonesia UNVR.JK lost
1.3%, while lender Bank Central Asia BBCA.JK was down 0.7%.
An index of Indonesia's 45 most liquid stocks .JKLQ45 was
0.7% lower.
For the month, Indonesian shares were down over 2%, heading
for a second straight monthly drop.
Singapore shares .STI fell, dragged by industrial and
telecommunication stocks, but were on track to post their first
monthly gain in three.
Thai shares .SETI edged lower ahead of August trade
balance data. Exports rose 3.8% on year in July, but current
account surplus narrowed from a month earlier. Finance and consumer stocks led the losses. Lender
Kasikornbank PCL KBANK.BK slipped 1.6%, while convenience
stores operator CP All PCL CPALL.BK lost 0.6%.
Thai shares were down 0.7% for the month, on track for a
third monthly drop.
Vietnam shares .VNI edged higher, helped by the real
estate sector. Vingroup JSC VIC.HM rose 0.9%, while Vinhomes
JSC VHM.HM rose 0.6% each.
Vietnam's economic growth quickened to 7.31% in the third
quarter year-on-year, the General Statistics Office said on
Saturday. The Asian Development Bank had said earlier that it
maintained its forecast for Vietnam's growth for this year at
6.8%, and for next year at 6.7%. Asian Companies click;
SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS AS AT 0410 GMT
STOCK MARKETS
Change on the day
Market Current Previous Pct Move
close
Singapore 3116.05 3125.63 -0.31
Bangkok 1638.7 1643.76 -0.31
Manila 7811.67 7819.22 -0.10
Jakarta 6165.277 6196.889 -0.51
Kuala Lumpur 1585.2 1584.14 0.07
Ho Chi Minh 1002.94 997.84 0.51
Change so far in
2019
Market Current End 2018 Pct Move
Singapore 3116.05 3068.76 1.54
Bangkok 1638.7 1563.88 4.78
Manila 7811.67 7,466.02 4.63
Jakarta 6165.277 6,194.50 -0.47
Kuala Lumpur 1585.2 1690.58 -6.23
Ho Chi Minh 1002.94 892.54 12.37