BANGKOK: Thai stocks rose on Friday as month-end buying lifted large caps such as PTT Pcl and Siam Cement Pcl, but trading volumes dropped due to holidays in the region and caution ahead of the Sunday election. The SET index finished up 0.8 percent, its first gain in five sessions, led by index heavyweights such as PTT. Shares in Siam Cement rose 1 percent after it reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings. In its latest strategy report, UBS Securities (Thailand)recommended investors to accumulate stocks on any weakness post elections. The benchmark fell for a third month in January, down 1.9 percent and taking its loss since November to around 12 percent, the region's worst performer, hit by the prolonged domestic political turmoil. Trading volumes on Friday almost halved the full-day average over the past 30 sessions, with players wary of the political risks and analysts said the Feb. 2 poll may not solve the current deadlock. All other Southeast Asian stock markets were closed on Friday for the Lunar New Year holiday, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS Change on day Market Current Prev Close Pct Move TR SE Asia Index* 377.77 377.00 +0.20 Bangkok 1274.28 1264.07 +0.81 Change on year Market Current End 2013 Pct Move TR SE Asia Index* 377.77 388.37 -2.73 Singapore -- 3167.43 -4.43 Kuala Lumpur -- 1866.96 -3.37 Bangkok 1274.28 1298.71 -1.88 Jakarta -- 4274.18 +3.38 Manila -- 5889.83 +2.57 Ho Chi Minh -- 504.63 +10.28 * The Thomson Reuters South East Asia Index is a highly representative indicator of stocks listed in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Stock Market Volume (shares) Market Current Volume Average Volume 30 days Bangkok 2,575,184 4,671,788 - Reuters

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Southeast Asia Stocks - Thai extend losses; S'pore, M'sia Indonesia closed