SE Asia Stocks-Mostly higher, buoyed by global recovery hopes

* Indonesia near highest in almost two years

* Thailand hits week high on demand for agribusiness, banks

By Arada Kultawanich

BANGKOK, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock
markets were narrowly higher on Friday, with Singapore,
Indonesia and Thailand leading the way as investors piled into
agricultural firms and exporters due to optimism about the
global recovery.

Singapore's Straits Times Index .FTSTI added 0.27
percent, recovering from Thursday's drop to stay around
17-month highs, while Indonesia .JKSE rallied after a two-day
fall, rising 1.06 percent and hovering near its highest in 22
months.

Thai stocks .SETI advanced 0.59 percent, having hit a
one-week high in early trade, boosted by demand for exporters
such as chicken exporter Charoen Pokphand Foods CPF.BK, which
rose 2.65 percent.

Malaysian shares .KLSE ended up 0.12 percent, but
Philippine shares .PSI inched 0.02 percent lower and Vietnam
.VNI hit a near-one-week low, falling 2.33 percent.

Analysts said earnings prospects in the first quarter
underpinned markets in the region, and the rise should continue
next week due to expectations that the U.S. economy was likely
to show more signs of recovery.

"Investors are still betting on a global recovery and
shares that will benefit from reviving consumption and exports
should drive higher," said Kosin Sripaiboon, head of research
at UOB Kay Hian Securities in Bangkok.

However, some investors were cautious ahead of the release
of U.S. non-farm payroll data later in the day. The MSCI index
of Asia Pacific stocks outside Japan edged up 0.17 percent
.MIAPJ0000PUS but was off the 17-month high hit earlier in
the week.

In Singapore, gains were led by Golden Agri-Resources
(GAGR.SI), which jumped 3.42 percent due to optimism about the
palm oil sector, while Wilmar International WLTI.SI, the
world's largest listed palm oil firm, rose 2.07 percent after
Goldman Sachs added the company to its "Conviction Buy" list.
[ID:nSGE60709Y]

Among bright spots in Bangkok, TMB Bank TMB.BK rose 2.2
percent to its highest level in 19 months after the bank, 30
percent owned by ING Group (ING.AS), told Reuters it wanted to
more than double its market share in the next five years and
was bullish about profit growth in 2010. [ID:nSGE60701W]

Thailand's top energy firm PTT PTT.BK climbed 0.82
percent after the company said it was not in talks with
commercial banks on delaying debt repayments related to
suspended projects at the Map Ta Phut industrial estate.
[ID:nSGE60702L]

Building material firms were among the top gainers in Kuala
Lumpur, with shares in Lafarge Malayan Cement (LMCE.KL) rising
nearly 1.0 percent due to rising optimism over the rollout of
mega projects and property launches.
($1=33.13 Baht)
(Editing by Alan Raybould) FACTORS TO WATCH: Thai PTT says no
talks on debt but profits at risk[nSGE60702L] Revived TMB aims
to raise Thai market share [nSGE60701W] Thaicom to return
to profit in 2010, plans div [nSGE60705P] Quality Houses
says 2010 profit to rise, Q1 strong[nSGE6070C6] Thai IRPC sees
2010 sales up 15 pct on oil prices [nWEN8141] Singapore's PSA
moves 9.9 pct less containers [nSGE60705Y]
For South East Asia Hot Stock reports, click;
[.SI] [.KL] [.BK]
SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS
Change on the day
Market Current Prev Close Pct Move
Singapore 2922.76 2913.25 +0.33
Kuala Lumpur 1292.98 1291.42 +0.12
Bangkok 738.96 734.63 +0.59
Jakarta 2614.37 2586.90 +1.06
Manila 3077.18 3077.78 -0.02
Ho Chi Minh 520.90 533.34 -2.33
Change on year
Market Current End prev yr Pct Move
Singapore 2922.76 2897.62 +0.87
Kuala Lumpur 1292.98 1272.78 +1.59
Bangkok 738.96 734.54 +0.60
Jakarta 2614.37 2534.36 +3.16
Manila 3077.18 3052.68 +0.80
Ho Chi Minh 520.90 494.77 +5.28
Stock Market Volume (shares)
Market Current Volume Average Volume 90 days
Singapore 341,893,700 318,933,946
Malaysia 74,587,200 87,290,613
Bangkok 2,678,972 4,162,298
Jakarta 7,372,352,000 4,089,862,206
Ho Chi Minh 84,715 62,602
ASIA-PACIFIC STOCK MARKETS:
Pan-Asia........[STXNEWS/AS] Japan.......[.T]
S.Korea...[.KS]
S.E. Asia.......[.SO] Hong Kong...[.HK]
Taiwan....[.TW]
Australia/NZ....[.AX] India.......[.BO]
China.....[.SS]

OTHER MARKETS:
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[US/]
Stocks News US..[STXNEWS/US] Stocks News Europe
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DIARIES & DATA:
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[ASIA/EQTY]
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[WEU/EQTY]
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[.N/O]
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