* BI cuts benchmark rate by 25 bps to 5%
* Indonesia rises for 10th straight session
* Philippine cenbank cuts RRR by 100 bps
By Sameer Manekar
Oct 24 (Reuters) - Indonesian stocks rose for the tenth
straight session on Thursday to hit a six-week high, following a
widely-expected rate cut by the archipelago's central bank,
while Singapore gained on hopes of an economic recovery in the
city-state.
Leading the gains in the Southeast Asian region, Indonesia's
benchmark index .JKSE ended up 1.3%, its best closing level
since Sept. 12. The index has added over 300 points since its
close on Oct 10.
Bank Indonesia cut its benchmark interest, the fourth
consecutive cut in as many months, stepping up its efforts to
boost Southeast Asia's largest economy. "BI's decision to cut the benchmark rate by 25 basis points
is a very strong message to the market that the President Jokowi
and the new cabinet has no intention to loosen its grip on the
growth agenda," said Taye Shim, head of research at Mirae Asset
Sekuritas.
Hosting his first cabinet meeting of the new term,
Indonesian President Joko Widodo stressed the government's
priority would be job creation. Widodo has retained several economic ministers from his
first term, including Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati,
whose appointment is seen as continuation of the focus on
economic growth.
An index of the country's 45 most liquid stocks .JKLQ45
was up 2%, rising for the tenth straight session as well.
Singapore shares .STI added 0.8%, boosted by gains in
financial and industrial sectors.
The city-state's economy may be a few quarters away from a
recovery as the decline in trade and manufacturing this year
hasn't really spread to other sectors, the Monetary Authority of
Singapore's chief Ravi Menon told Bloomberg. (https://bloom.bg/2Jkrdea)
A recovery, though not robust, was still likely as the
negative output gap, the estimated difference between economy's
actual and potential performance, isn't expected to widen, Menon
added.
Index heavyweights DBS Group Holdings DBSM.SI and Jardine
Matheson Holdings JARD.SI advanced 1.2% and 1.5%,
respectively.
Thai stocks .SETI closed down 0.6%, dragged by heavy
losses in the financial sector.
Heavyweight Kasikornbank PCL KBANK.BK declined 7.4%, as
the bank forecast its gross non-performing loans (NPL) ratio to
be in the range of 3.6%-4% in 2020, wider than 2019's NPL gross
ratio of 3.34%. "I think people are closely monitoring the NPL issue. And
when one of the biggest bank continue to signal that NPL target
wil rise next year, I think it's quite a big deal for the
market," said Rakpong Chaisuparakul, analyst at KGI Securities
Thailand.
The Philippine bourse .PSI added 0.2%, rising on the back
of financials and consumer firms.
Philippine central bank Governor Benjamin Diokno after
market hours announced a 100-bps cut in banks' reserve
requirement ratio that will take effect in December.
BDO Unibank BDO.PS and SM Investment Corp SM.PS rose
1.7% and 1.6%, respectively.
For Asian Companies click;
SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS
Change on the day
Market Current Previous close Pct Move
Singapore 3168.87 3144.28 0.78
Bangkok 1620.97 1631.46 -0.64
Manila 7950.98 7933.76 0.22
Jakarta 6339.647 6257.806 1.31
Kuala Lumpur 1571.11 1568.79 0.15
Ho Chi Minh 993.6 987.79 0.59
Change so far in 2019
Market Current End 2018 Pct Move
Singapore 3168.87 3068.76 3.26
Bangkok 1620.97 1563.88 3.65
Manila 7950.98 7,466.02 6.50
Jakarta 6339.647 6,194.50 2.34
Kuala Lumpur 1571.11 1690.58 -7.07
Ho Chi Minh 993.6 892.54 11.32