Each week, we provide an overview of the percent returns of the primary indices in Southeast Asia and their currency appreciation or depreciation relative to the US Dollar. We provide this information below. We also capture this information, as well as the trailing four and year-to-date movements, and plot the data in charts, which you can find on the “index charts” and “currency charts” pages.
Indices
During the week of 25 December, nine of the ten indices in Southeast Asia advanced, with the Cambodia Stock Exchange index having the greatest gain, rising 5.24% and bringing its year-to-date decline to 3.30%. Myanmar’s Myanpix Index lost 0.67% over the week, and for the year, the index fell 17.50%, which was the greatest decline of the indices in Southeast Asia.
The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) gained 2.08% over the week, closing on Friday at its year-to-date high of 1796.81, marking a stark reversal to the index’s downward trend from June to the first week of December, when it closed at 1713.14. It is not clear what drove the positive reversal in the KLCI, although a member of Malaysia’s Association of Technical Analysis attributed the gains to annual “window dressing” among investors, according to The New Straits Times.
Weekly gains
- Cambodia Securities Exchange index (CSX), 5.24%
- Hanoi Stock Exchange Index (HNX), 3.39%
- Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange Index (VNI), 3.35%
- Jakarta Stock Exchange index (JSX), 2.16%
- Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI), 2.08%
- Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi), 1.50%
- Stock Exchange of Thailand index (SET), 0.67%
- Singapore’s Straits Times Index (STI), 0.51%
- Lao Securities Exchange index (LSX), 0.19%
Weekly declines
- Myanmar’s Myanpix index (YSX), -0.67%
Currencies
Seven of the nine Southeast Asian currencies advanced relative to the US Dollar the week of 25 December, with the Malaysian Ringgit, Thai Baht, and Singapore Dollar finishing the week—as well as the full year—with the greatest appreciation. The Indonesian Rupiah and Myanmar Kyat depreciated over the week, as well as the full year.
The Philippine Peso appreciated 0.26% during the week and on Monday closed at PHP 49.928, which was the currency’s strongest close since mid-June. IHS Markit’s chief economist attributed the Peso’s rise to strong macroeconomic data as well as seasonal inflows of remittances by Filipino workers abroad, according to The Manila Times.
Weekly appreciations
- Malaysian Ringgit (MYR), 0.78%
- Thai Baht (THB), 0.55%
- Singapore Dollar (SGD), 0.46%
- Philippine Peso (PHP), 0.26%
- Cambodian Riel (KHR), 0.06%
- Lao Kip (LAK), 0.02%
- Vietnamese Dong (VND), 0.01%
Weekly depreciation
- Indonesian Rupiah (IDR), -0.10%
- Myanmar Kyat (MMK), -0.38%
