EM ASIA FX-Asian currencies firm as dollar wallows near a 3-year low

(Adds text, updates prices)

By Patturaja Murugaboopathy

Jan 19 (Reuters) - Asian currencies strengthened on Friday

as the dollar languished on fears over a U.S. government

shutdown and as China's strong economic growth figures boosted

sentiment in the region.

The dollar index was down 0.165 at 90.35, hovering

near the three-year low of 90.104 it hit on Thursday.

The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill

to fund government operations through Feb. 16 and avoid agency

shutdowns this weekend when existing money expires. The bill

must still be approved by the Senate, where it faces some

uncertainties.

"If a shutdown occurs, history tells us the dollar will sell

off marginally in the ensuing weeks but the scope for weakness

will be somewhat limited," said Stephen Innes, head of trading

in Asia-Pacific for Oanda in Singapore.

"We should expect investors to look past Washington contempt

regardless of the length of the interruption but apparently from

a more risk adverse perspective."

Analysts said China's strong economic growth in the fourth

quarter of 2017, helped by an export recovery, lifted sentiment

toward Asian currencies on the day.

China's economic growth for the 2017 full year picked up to

6.9 percent year-on-year, the first annual acceleration for the

economy since 2010.

China's yuan was up 0.4 percent after the central

bank set its offical yuan midpoint at a more than two-year at

6.4169 per dollar.

The Malaysian ringgit was up half a percent on the

day, with technical indictors showing the currency breaking some

key resistance levels. The U.S. dollar-ringgit pair broke below

its 200-week moving average on Friday.

Strong equities propelled the Taiwan dollar while

the South Korean won rose on speculative demand on

Friday.

The Thai baht was propped up by dollar sales by

exporters.

Overall, most Asian currencies gained against the dollar

this week, also helped by strong foreign inflows into the

region.

Exchange data showed foreign inflows into Taiwan, South

Korea and Indian equities of $792 million, $435 million and $262

million, respectively.

The following table shows rates for Asian currencies against

the dollar at 0444 GMT.

CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR

Change as of

0444 GMT

Currency Latest Previous Pct Move

bid day

Japan yen 110.87 111.09 +0.20

0

Sing dlr 1.318 1.3207 +0.21

Taiwan dlr 29.403 29.562 +0.54

Korean won 1065.2 1070.7 +0.52

00

Baht 31.809 31.93 +0.38

Peso 50.610 50.8 +0.38

Rupiah 13285.

13345 +0.45

000

Rupee 63.670 63.85 +0.29

Ringgit 3.935 3.954 +0.48

Yuan 6.394 6.4180 +0.37

Change so far in

2018

Currency Latest End 2017 Pct Move

bid

Japan yen 110.87 112.67 +1.62

0

Sing dlr 1.318 1.3373 +1.47

Taiwan dlr 29.403 29.848 +1.51

Korean won 1065.2 1070.50 +0.50

00

Baht 31.809 32.58 +2.42

Peso 50.610 49.93 -1.34

Rupiah 13285.

13565 +2.11

000

Rupee 63.670 63.87 +0.31

Ringgit 3.935 4.0440 +2.77

Yuan 6.394 6.5069 +1.76

(Reporting by Patturaja Murugaboopathy in Bengaluru; Editing by

Sam Holmes)