SE Asia Stocks-Mostly higher, Singapore near a 2-week high
* Low interest rates bolster property shares
* Most indices recover some of last week's losses
* But financials weak after downbeat Moody's view
By Viparat Jantraprap
BANGKOK, June 26 (Reuters) - Singapore climbed near a two-week high on Friday, rising for a third day and leading most other Southeast Asian stock markets higher, with low interest rates bolstering demand for regional property shares.
Investors continued to allocate more money to stocks because of the low-rate environment and the prospect of a gradual recovery in the global economy, while energy shares rose after oil went above $71 a barrel.
"Economic stimulus packages initiated by governments worldwide will remain a key market theme as they are sources of market liquidity," said Warut Siwasariyanon, head of research at Finansa Securities in Bangkok.
Markets in the region recovered part of last week's losses, led by Manila, which gained 3.3 percent on the week, reversing from a 7.7 percent drop the week before, followed by Jakarta's 2.5 percent gain and Singapore's 2 percent.
Asian stock markets elsewhere also gained on Friday, with the MSCI index of Asia-Pacific stocks outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS up 1.8 percent by 1000 GMT.
Singapore's index .FTSTI ended up 0.7 percent at its highest level since June 15, with Keppel Land (KLAN.SI) up 2.2 percent and City Development (CTDM.SI) up 1.5 percent.
Some banks in the region fell after Moody's said it had a negative outlook on Southeast Asian lenders, with United Overseas Bank (UOBH.SI) down 1.4 percent. But DBS Group Holdings (DBSM.SI), Southeast Asia's biggest bank, rose 0.9 percent.
Malaysia .KLSE eked out a small 0.2 percent gain, with lender Maybank (MBBM.KL) down 1.7 percent, while palm planter Sime Darby (SIME.KL) rose 0.7 percent.
The Thai index .SETI was up 0.9 percent, with PTT
Exploration PTTE.BK up 1.9 percent and PTT (PTT.BK) 0.9
percent higher. Siam Commercial Bank SCB.BK and Kasikornbank
KBAN.BK both fell 0.4 percent.
Dealers said market sentiment in Bangkok was cautious ahead of an anti-government rally by red-shirted supporters of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra at the weekend.
The Philippine index .PSI was up 0.4 percent, with Ayala Land (ALI.PS) rising 1.2 percent, while Vietnam .VNI climbed 1.7 percent, with Bao Viet Holdings BVH.HM, the country's top insurer, up nearly 5 percent.
Bucking the trend, Indonesia .JKSE inched down 0.2 percent, pulled down by a 7.2 percent fall in Bank Central Asia (BBCA.JK) and a 1.5 percent loss in top lender Bank Mandiri (BMRI.JK). ($1 = 34.03 Baht) (Editing by Alan Raybould)
© Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved

