SE Asia Stocks-Most fall as coronavirus death toll climbs, investors book profits
Wednesday, April 08, 2020       20:48 WIB

April 8 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets closed lower on Wednesday as a mounting death toll from the global coronavirus outbreak prompted investors to book profits after sharp gains earlier this week.
The United States posted a record single-day jump of more than 1,800 coronavirus deaths, while France has officially registered more than 10,000 fatalities so far.
The day's losses halted a rally in equities over the past two sessions on early optimism that the virus could be peaking.
A fall in energy stocks pushed the Thai benchmark 0.8% lower on Wednesday, with PTT Pcl and PTT Exploration and Production Pcl falling at least 4% each.
Leading losses in the region, Indonesian equities slumped 3.2%, with financials weighing on the benchmark index.
PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk and PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk both fell 7%.
Beginning Friday, Indonesia's capital Jakarta will impose large-scale social restrictions including closures of schools and workplaces to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the
hardest hit area of the country.
Singaporean stocks shed 1.3%, with big cap conglomerates Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd falling 3.8% and Jardine Strategic Holdings Ltd slipping 1.5%.
The Malaysian index fell 0.6%, dragged lower by power utility Tenaga Nasional, down 2%.
Philippine equities ended 2.5% lower.
On the upside, Vietnamese shares recovered from early losses and posted a sixth straight session of gains.

Sumber : Reuters.com