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 27 November, six of the ten indices in Southeast Asia advanced, with Vietnam’s Hanoi Stock Exchange index (HNX) and Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange index (VNI) having the greatest gains, rising 4.20% and 2.65%, respectively. The two exchanges have been the clear leaders in Southeast Asia and year-to-date have both gained approximately 44%.
In Indonesia, the country’s retailers association forecasted Christmas and New Year sales to rise only 15-20% month-over-month instead of the more typical 25-30%, according to The Jakarta Post. The association based this decision on the sluggish sales growth experienced during the Eid ul Fitr holiday in June, which saw sales growth of 5% and not the usual 15-20%. The Jakarta Stock Exchange index was down 1.90% during the week.
Weekly gains
- Hanoi Stock Exchange Index (HNX), 4.20%
- Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange Index (VNI), 2.65%
- Stock Exchange of Thailand index (SET), 0.22%
- Singapore’s Straits Times Index (STI), 0.21%
- Cambodia Securities Exchange index (CSX), 0.10%
- Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI), 0.04%
Weekly declines
- Lao Securities Exchange index (LSX), -0.80%
- Myanmar’s Myanpix index (YSX), -1.10%
- Jakarta Stock Exchange index (JSX), -1.90%
- Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi), -2.64%
Currencies
Six of the nine Southeast Asian currencies advanced relative to the US Dollar the week of 27 November, with the Philippine Peso increasing the most, appreciating 0.74%. The Malaysian Ringgit’s 0.67% increase was the second largest gain; over the past four weeks, the Ringgit has appreciated 3.56%, easily outpacing the other Southeast Asian currencies.
For the first time since late October, the value of the Myanmar Kyat relative to the US Dollar shifted from MMK 1,369.50 to USD 1. The currency appreciated over the week to MMK 1,361.70, which was a gain of 0.57%.
Weekly appreciations
- Philippine Peso (PHP), 0.74%
- Malaysian Ringgit (MYR), 0.67%
- Myanmar Kyat (MMK), 0.57%
- Thai Baht (THB), 0.09%
- Lao Kip (LAK), 0.06%
- Vietnamese Dong (VND), 0.06%
Weekly depreciation
- Singapore Dollar (SGD), -0.07%
- Cambodian Riel (KHR), -0.09%
- Indonesian Rupiah (IDR), -0.21%
