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Asian currencies muted on tariff jitters

Asian currencies muted on tariff jitters

BENGALURU: Stocks in Indonesia hit a near four-week high on Monday, driven by conglomerate Barito Pacific-related firms after index provider MSCI removed them from a watch list, while Singapore's benchmark touched an all-time high for a ninth straight session.
Jakarta's equity benchmark index gained for the sixth consecutive session to touch its highest since June 18.
Barito Pacific jumped 16% after MSCI said the conglomerate's associate companies - Barito Renewables, Petrindo Kreasi Jaya and Petrosea - would be eligible for future inclusions to its list. All the firms soared up to 19%.
Investors in Indonesia are also focusing on the central bank policy decision due on Wednesday. Analysts widely expect Bank Indonesia to deliver a rate cut.
Singapore's FTSE Straits Times index hit a record high for the ninth consecutive session, led by strong inflows into industrials, telecoms, and real-estate stocks.
Data showed the city-state's economy grew 1.4% in the second quarter of 2025, rebounding from a 0.5% contraction in the previous quarter and narrowly avoiding a technical recession, ahead of a policy review by the Monetary Authority of Singapore later this month.
'The MAS monetary policy review due later this month may adopt a 'wait-and-see' mode barring downside core CPI risks...,' said analysts at OCBC.
Technology-linked stocks led the decline on the Taiwan bourse. The benchmark index fell 0.6%, tracking a dip in US equity futures, as investors assessed latest developments on tariffs by US President Donald Trump.
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