JAKARTA, April 6 — Emerging-market stocks headed for a four- month high as Samsung Electronics Co paced gains for technology shares and weak US jobs data spurred bets that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates low. Malaysia’s ringgit led currencies higher.

Samsung rose 2.5 per cent in Seoul as a technology gauge headed for a record close. Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co led the nation’s stock index to an all-time high. Malaysia’s stock index climbed to the highest level in five months and the ringgit increased 1.2 per cent versus the dollar. South Korea’s won and Indonesia’s rupiah added at least 0.5 per cent.

The MSCI Emerging Markets Index climbed 0.8 per cent to 1,002.08 at 1.51pm in Hong Kong, its sixth day of increases. Data on Friday showed US payrolls in March increased the least since December 2013 and trailed the most pessimistic forecast in a Bloomberg survey. The smaller reading may bolster the case for Fed policy makers to hold off from raising interest rates. Markets in China and Hong Kong are closed.

“Weakness in the US data is great for this region,” Mixo Das, a Singapore-based equity strategist at Nomura Holdings Inc, said by e-mail. It “encourages outflows from developed markets and makes emerging economies” relatively more attractive, he said.

The developing-nation gauge has risen 4.8 per cent this year and trades at 12.1 times projected 12-month earnings, data compiled by Bloomberg show. The MSCI World Index has advanced 2.7 per cent in 2015 and is valued at a multiple of 16.7.

Industry groups

All 10 industry groups in the emerging-markets measure increased, paced by health-care companies and technology shares. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd surged 4.3 per cent to a record in Mumbai.

Samsung climbed the most since March 11. The company’s first-quarter operating profit likely rose more than 5 per cent from the fourth quarter, Korea Economic Daily reported, citing unidentified industry officials. The company is due to report earnings on Tuesday.

Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co jumped 8.1 per cent to lead South Korean builders higher. The Kospi index was little changed.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index rallied for a seventh day, set for the longest winning streak since a nine-day gain through February 25. Philippine Long Distance headed for the steepest advance in two months.

The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI Index added 0.4 per cent. The ringgit was poised for the highest level since February 27. Oil rose 1.9 per cent, lending support to the currency as Malaysia is Asia’s only major oil exporter. The Jakarta Composite Index halted a two-day drop. The won and rupiah gained for a fourth day. — Bloomberg