MARKET NEWS
Baht drops ahead of rate decision, rupiah at over 6-week high - REUTERS
* Thailand reports record daily virus cases and toll
* Malaysia's prime minister faces calls to quit; stocks fall
* Bank of Thailand likely to hold key rates
By Soumyajit Saha
Aug 4 (Reuters) - Thailand's baht traded at 16-month lows
ahead of a policy decision by the country's central bank on
Wednesday, while Indonesia's rupiah extended gains, helped by an
improving outlook for Southeast Asia's largest economy.
The baht, Asia's worst performing currency so far
this year, eased 0.2% as the Bank of Thailand was expected to
stand pat on interest rates amid the biggest COVID-19 outbreak
to date in the trade and tourism-dependent country.
Domestic sentiment remains soft compared with Thailand's
peers as COVID-19 cases rise, increasingly straining the
country's medical system and challenging the tourism industry,
Maybank analysts wrote in a note.
Several analysts expect the baht to stay weak for the rest
of the year.
Thailand reported its highest daily increases in new
coronavirus cases and deaths on Wednesday, while a survey by a
capital market group showed investor confidence in Thai
financial markets had dropped to a nine-month low.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian rupiah extended gains to
hit a six-week high a day before Indonesia was set to report its
first economic growth in five quarters, according to a Reuters
poll.
Sentiment in Indonesia is "supported by encouraging signs of
moderation in COVID-19 case counts, as well as the recent
decline in U.S. Treasury yields," analysts at Maybank wrote.
"The latter has made Indonesia's sovereign bonds relatively
more appealing," they said.
On the day, yield on the country's 10-year benchmark bonds
was down 1.5 basis points at 6.261%.
Indonesia's health minister on Monday said the wave of
coronavirus infections had passed its peak.
The country raised an above-target 34 trillion rupiah ($2.37
billion) from a biweekly bond auction on Tuesday.
On stocks, Kuala Lumpur shares dipped more than 1%
to near nine-month lows amid political uncertainty and a surge
in coronavirus cases.
Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said he would seek
a vote on his legitimacy when parliament meets in September
after a key ally withdrew support for the government.
Singapore shares advanced more than 1% as encouraging
earnings from heavyweight lenders boosted the benchmark index.
HIGHLIGHTS
** Singapore's 10-year benchmark yield were up 3.6 basis
points at 1.311%
** Shares of Singapore lenders Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp
and United Overseas Bank rise 1.4% and 1.7%,
respectively