BANGKOK, Nov 29 — Most Southeast Asian stocks rose today, with the Thai SET index climbing almost 1 per cent as a weaker baht lifted shares of exporters, but still suffered its worst monthly loss since August amid rising political tensions and fund outflows.

The SET index closed up 0.9 per cent, rebounding from its day-low, led by a 6.8 per cent jump in shares of electronic component exporter Delta Electronics Thailand and a 3.6 per cent rise in shares of food exporter Charoen Pokphand Foods.

The baht has been among the under-performers in Asia in November with a 3.1 per cent loss as political tensions caused foreign investors to sell Thai assets.

It ended the month 5 per cent lower, among under-performers in the region. Foreign investors offloaded US$1.47 billion (RM4.74 billion) worth of Thai shares in the month to November 28, reversing their combined net buying of US$337 million in the previous two months, Thomson Reuters data showed.

About 1,500 anti-government protesters forced their way into the compound of Thailand’s army headquarters today, the latest escalation in a city-wide demonstration seeking to topple Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Finance Minister Kittirat Na Ranong said the political uncertainty could dent the economy in the fourth quarter and that full-year GDP growth would be lower than 3 per cent.

He said the economy could expand 4 per cent next year, thanks to government spending.

“The 4 per cent growth is possible but we should all help to reach that target,” Kittirat told reporters.

Stocks in Indonesia gained 0.5 per cent, rebounding from early losses and trimming its monthly fall to 5.6 per cent, still the biggest since August. The Philippines was up 0.6 per cent on the day, ending the month 5.7 per cent lower.

Singapore fell 0.3 per cent on the day and ended 1.1 per cent lower on the month. Malaysia and Vietnam outperformed on the month, up 0.3 per cent and 2.1 per cent, respectively. — Reuters