Stronger-than-expected U.S. non-farm payrolls gave an early boost to regional sentiment, while gains in Chinese shares were also supportive, dealers said.
Singapore's Straits Times Index <.FTSTI> rose 0.8 percent to its highest since Aug. 31 while Malaysia's FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI <.KLSE> ended up 1 percent at its highest since Aug. 14.
Malaysia-listed Genting
Elsewhere, Indonesia's index <.JKSE> rose 0.8 percent to its highest since Sept. 1 and Thailand's index <.SETI> jumped nearly 2 percent to its highest since Aug. 29, 2008.
FCPO-JAKARTA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Malaysian crude palm oil futures dropped 3.1 percent to the lowest level in nearly six weeks on Monday, extending a losing streak to five straight sessions amid worries over rising output, traders said.
The benchmark November contract
Thomas Mielke, head of German oilseeds research group Oilworld, said Malaysian palm oil futures, which often draw strength from the U.S. soybean market, may be well supported by low stocks of the tropical oil and dry weather hitting yields.