CORRECTED-EMERGING MARKETS-Asian stocks broadly firm on U.S. stimulus, Singapore and Malaysia outperform

(Corrects RIC for Thai stock market in second paragraph) * Jardine Strategic and Jardine Matheson boost Singapore shares * Petronas Chemicals Group top gainer in Malaysia March 8 (Reuters) - Asian shares broadly rose on Monday after the passage of a $1.9 trillion U.S. stimulus bill boosted optimism about the global economic recovery, with stock markets in Singapore and Malaysia outperforming on local company news. Shares in Taiwan, India and Thailand were higher, as upbeat Chinese exports data also underpinned appetite for risk. Asia's emerging currencies, however, came under pressure as the dollar firmed on the back of stronger-than-expected jobs data and the pandemic relief bill. The U.S. Senate passed the COVID-19 relief plan on Saturday and U.S. President Joe Biden said he hoped for a quick passage of the revised bill by the House of Representatives. Higher U.S. yields also kept pressure on Asia's bond markets and valuations. Mizuho Bank analysts said the U.S. fiscal passage "may be fanning the embers of reflation further this week." "On the other (hand) discomfort with excessive and abrupt pick-up in UST bond yields could roil some parts of EM." A spike in oil prices past $70 for the first time since the pandemic sparked some worries about inflation for energy-hungry Asia. Singapore's stock index rose to its highest in over a year, led by a rally in the shares of Jardine Strategic and Jardine Matheson, which climbed nearly 20% and 8%, respectively. Jardine Matheson said it plans to buy the remaining 15% of Jardine Strategic that it does not already own for about $5.5 billion to simplify structures of the sprawling Asian conglomerate that has a foot in construction to aviation. The Singapore dollar dipped 0.2% to its lowest since late November. In Malaysia, shares jumped 1.5%, with Petronas Chemicals Group the biggest gainer. The petrochemical product maker jumped around 10% after CGS-CIMB upgraded the stock to "Add" and raised its price target. Meanwhile, Philippine shares fell more than 1%, giving up last week's gains. Stocks in Indonesia and the rupiah dipped. The country is susceptible to higher U.S. yields given that the Southeast Asian nation houses some of the highest-yield debt in emerging markets. The yield on Indonesia's 10-year bonds shot up 19.2 basis points this session to 6.817%. Chinese exports grew at a record pace in February from a year earlier, data showed over the weekend. Exports in dollar terms surged 154.9% from a year ago when COVID-19 battered the economy. HIGHLIGHTS: ** Indonesian 3-year benchmark yields are up 7.7 basis points to 5.518% ** Genting Malaysia, Genting Bhd were among the top gainers in Malaysia ** In the Philippines, Megaworld Corp and Jollibee Foods Corp led losses Asia stock indexes and currencies at 0411 GMT COUNTRY FX RIC FX FX INDEX STOCKS STOCKS DAILY % YTD % DAILY % YTD % Japan -0.04 -4.74 -0.25 4.91 China -0.21 +0.27 -1.01 -0.19 India +0.00 +0.08 0.65 7.53 Indonesia -0.21 -1.96 -0.23 4.44 Malaysia -0.39 -1.66 1.53 -0.16 Philippines +0.04 -1.17 -1.49 -5.05 S.Korea -0.60 -4.12 -0.37 4.93 Singapore -0.21 -1.81 2.06 8.16 Taiwan +0.80 +1.54 0.26 7.90 Thailand -0.68 -2.44 0.82 7.42 (Reporting by Nikhil Kurian Nainan in Bengaluru; Editing by Ana Nicolaci da Costa)