Thai and other Southeast Asian stock markets rose on Thursday with the Philippines jumping over 2% on foreign investor buying.
The SET index gains 6.50 points or 0.38% to end the day at 1,704.80. (Photo from set.or.th)
However, gains were capped ahead of manufacturing data from Europe and the United States later in the day, which will be closely watched to gauge whether global trade wars had any impact on economic activity.
Meanwhile, the US and China enacted 25% tariffs on $16 billion worth of the other's goods, in the latest escalation of trade war between the world's top two economies.
The SET index ares rose for a fifth session in six, gaining 6.50 points or 0.38% to close the day at 1,704.80, in turnover worth 39 billion baht. It posted their highest close in nearly two weeks, helped by energy stocks.
Oil and gas producer PTT Plc was one of the biggest boost with a gain of 0.5%, while PTT Exploration and Production Plc rose over 1%.
Real estate and industrial stocks helped Philippine shares post a near two-week closing high.
Blue chip SM Prime Holdings led gains with a rise of 3.8%, while JG Summit Holdings climbed 5.8%.
Foreign investors bought Philippine equities worth a net US$9.6million on Thursday, according to Thomson Reuters Eikon data.
Singapore shares rose 1.6% to a near two-week closing high. Blue chip Singapore Telecommunications Ltd climbed 6.5% to a near one-month closing high, while lender DBS Group Holdings add 2.2%.
Singapore's core consumer price index rose at its fastest pace in nearly four years in July in year-on-year terms, due to higher electricity and gas costs, official data showed.
Financial and telecom stocks helped Malaysian shares climb 0.7% to their highest close in three months ahead of July inflation data due on Friday.
Axiata Group ended nearly 3% higher, while Public Bank Bhd rose 2.6%.
The annual inflation rate is expected to have risen to 0.9% in July, marginally faster than the previous month, a Reuters poll showed.
Indonesian shares climbed for a third straight session and posted a near two-week closing high, helped by financials.
Bank Central Asia rose 2.9%, while Bank Rakyat Indonesia added 3.8%.