ASIAN MARKETS - SHARES END BROADLY HIGHER - JULY 2, 2007.

A round-up of Asian stock markets for July 2, 2007 prepared by Asia Pulse (http://www.asiapulse.com), the real-time, Asia-based wire with exclusive news, commercial intelligence and business opportunities.

SYDNEY, July 2 Asia Pulse - Asian sharemarkets closed broadly higher Monday bucking Wall Street's negative close last week on the back of some strong local economic date, brokers said.

Thailand lead the day's gainers, surging over 2 per cent, while Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea and The Philippines also logged healthy gains. Australia was the only market to lose ground.

- Thai stocks ended 2.05 per cent firmer Monday, hitting a three-year high after the release of positive economic date, brokers said.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index leapt 15.92 points to 792.71, while the bluechip SET 50 index surged 12.98 points to 562.99.

- South Korean stocks closed sharply higher Monday as institutions snapped up brokerage and insurance issues such as Samsung Securities and Samsung Fire & Marine, analysts said.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) jumped 27.75 points, or 1.59 per cent, to 1,771.35. Volume was moderate at 297.76 million shares worth 4.50 trillion won (US$4.9 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 521 to 225.