(.)
* Graphic: World FX rates http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
* S. Korean won leads decline, stocks up ~3%
* Most Asian equities set to post biggest weekly gains since
Nov
* Singapore shares lifted by banks
By Anushka Trivedi
Jan 8 (Reuters) - Indonesia's rupiah and the South Korean
won led declines in Asian currencies on Friday as climbing U.S.
yields lifted the greenback's appeal, while most stock indexes
were set to end the first week of the new year higher.
The rupiah IDR= and the won KRW=KFTC , both eased about
0.7% as investors dumped the countries' bonds in favour of U.S.
debt, while the Malaysian ringgit MYR=MY and the Thai baht
THB=TH fell 0.1% and 0.4%, respectively. KRW/
The rupiah, which underpins one of Asia's most popular bond
markets for foreign investors, hit a more than one-week low.
Indonesia's 10-year benchmark yields ID10YT=RR were up 23.1
basis points at 6.26%, their highest in more than a month.
Yields rise when bond prices fall.
"The rebound in the dollar overnight, helped in part by
rising U.S. bond yields, has seen Asian currencies open weaker
today," said Khoon Goh, head of Asia research at ANZ.
The won was set to mark its worst day since November despite
a rally in local stocks .KS11 bringing inflows as long
positions in the currency were unwound, Goh added.
The Treasury yield curve steepened, indicating continued
economic expansion, as yields on the longer end of the curve
US10YT=RR stayed over 1% after Democrats won control of the
U.S. Senate on Wednesday, raising hopes for more fiscal
stimulus. US/
The dollar found some support overnight, but analysts expect
this bounce to be temporary, banking on vaccine rollouts to
support economic growth in Asia and appreciation in the
currencies.
Equities in Asia continue to ride on U.S. stimulus euphoria
in tandem with global markets, on expectations that more fiscal
spending in the world's biggest economy will spur trade and
investment.
Most regional indexes were on course to notch their best
week since mid-November.
Seoul's benchmark led gains as it surged almost 3% to take
this week's gains to a whopping 8.6%, set for its best weekly
performance since March.
Singapore shares .STI , which had failed to join in the
year-end rally in 2020, rose 1.8% to a ten-month peak, with
financials tracking their U.S. peers to drive gains.
HIGHLIGHTS
** China stocks .SSEC retreat from a 13-year high on
rising Sino-U.S. tensions
** The most liquid 3-year Korean treasury bond yield rose by
2.4 basis points to 0.987%
** Top gainers on the Singapore STI .STI : United Overseas
Bank Ltd UOBH.SI up 3.1 %, DBS Group DBSM.SI up 2.8% and
Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Ltd OCBC.SI up 2.7%
Asia stock indexes and currencies at
0441 GMT
COUNTRY FX RIC FX DAILY % FX YTD % INDEX STOCKS DAILY % STOCKS YTD %
Japan JPY= -0.05 -0.59 .N225 1.75 1.92
China CNY=CFXS +0.17 +0.95 .SSEC -0.62 2.33
India INR=IN -0.03 -0.39 .NSEI 0.74 1.86
Indonesia IDR= -0.64 +0.43 .JKSE 1.66 4.63
Malaysia MYR= -0.12 -0.50 .KLSE -0.17 -1.66
Philippines PHP= +0.05 -0.14 .PSI 1.86 1.57
S.Korea KRW=KFTC -0.75 -0.85 .KS11 2.74 8.40
Singapore SGD= -0.08 -0.36 .STI 1.81 4.07
Taiwan TWD=TP +1.51 +1.71 .TWII 1.23 4.54
Thailand THB=TH -0.37 -0.50 .SETI 1.25 5.75