* Indonesia Dec retail sales fall 0.5% y/y
* Malaysia trade deficit narrows to 6-month low in Dec
* Singapore visitor numbers to drop by 25-30% in 2020
By Arundhati Dutta
Feb 11 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets rose
on Tuesday as the number of new coronavirus cases slowed in
China, but a rising death toll prompted concerns over how soon
Chinese factories could return to work and kept gains in check.
The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in China soared
past 1000 on Tuesday and the number of confirmed cases on the
mainland was 2,478 on Monday, down from 3,062 the previous day,
bringing the total to 42,638. "While some factories are targeted to resume production this
week, it could be challenging as the increasing municipal
lockdowns hinder migrant workers from returning to work," said
Nathan Chow, economist at DBS Group Research, in a note.
Factory closures will be disruptive for China's trade, which
had "begun showing signs of recovery in December", Chow said.
Singapore stocks .STI closed 0.4% higher, after rising as
much as 1% earlier in the session. Heavyweight financial stocks
DBS Group Holdings DBSM.SI gained 1% and United Overseas Bank
UOBH.SI rose 1.7%.
The city-state expects visitor numbers to drop by 25-30%
this year due to the virus outbreak, with a significant decline
in Chinese travel, its tourism board said on Tuesday.
Indonesian shares .JKSE gave up early gains to end flat.
The country's retail sales contracted 0.5% in December from
a year earlier, despite year-end festivities, according to a
central bank survey released on Tuesday. The Philippine index .PSI closed slightly higher, lifted
by gains in big caps Globe Telecom GLO.PS and GT Capital
Holdings GTCAP.PS .
Government data showed that Philippines' trade deficit had
narrowed to its lowest in six months in December due to a surge
in exports.
Malaysian stocks added 0.6%, aided by shares of blue chip
companies Tenaga Nasional TENA.KL and Petronas Chemicals Group
PCGB.KL .
Bucking the trend, the Thai index .SETI fell 0.7%, which
marked its worst day in a week.
The world's second largest sugar exporter could see its
2019-20 sugar production fall to between 8 million - 9 million
tonnes due to drought, industry executives said on Tuesday.
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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS
STOCK MARKETS
Change on the day
Market Current Previous close Pct Move
Singapore 3175.57 3163.15 0.39
Bangkok 1523.93 1535.24 -0.74
Manila 7439.4 7430.86 0.11
Jakarta 5954.397 5952.083 0.04
Kuala Lumpur 1551.48 1542.8 0.56
Ho Chi Minh 934.67 930.73 0.42
Change so far in 2020
Market Current End 2019 Pct Move
Singapore 3175.57 3222.83 -1.47
Bangkok 1523.93 1579.84 -3.54
Manila 7439.4 7,815.26 -4.81
Jakarta 5954.397 6,299.54 -5.48
Kuala Lumpur 1551.48 1588.76 -2.35
Ho Chi Minh 934.67 960.99 -2.74