EM ASIA FX-Asian currencies hurt by firmer dollar, ringgit takes a spill

* Ringgit at over 2-week low after c.bank dovish tilt

* renewed worries over Korean Peninsula hurt won

* Yuan edges down, investors await US-China trade deal

(Adds text, updates prices)

By Nikhil Nainan

March 6 (Reuters) - Asian currencies weakened across the

board on Tuesday following gains by the dollar on

better-than-expected U.S. data, with the Malaysian ringgit the

biggest loser after central bank comments seen as signalling a

dovish tilt.

Robust U.S. economic data, on service industries and new

home sales, saw the dollar index gain for a fifth

straight session overnight and hover around two-week highs.

The ringgit slid 0.3 percent to its weakest level in

more than two weeks, after investors weighed commentary by Bank

Negara Malaysia after its Tuesday policy meeting, where it kept

interest rates unchanged as expected.

The central bank outlined risks from unresolved trade

tensions, heightened uncertainties on the global and domestic

fronts and weakness in commodity-related sectors.

The Philippine peso was little changed at 52.250,

following a sharp fall on Tuesday after the announcement of

February inflation falling back into the central bank's target

range sparked speculation of policy easing.

On Wednesday, incoming Philippine central bank governor

Benjamin Diokno said inflation could fall to 2 percent - the

bottom of its target range - as early as the third quarter,

supporting the view of many economists that a rate cut could

come later this year.

"With the price goal seemingly in hand, it may be time for

the BSP to consider the possibility of reducing the reserve

requirement ratio in the near term, and eventually lower policy

rates to help chase the 7-8 percent growth target," ING's

Nicholas Mapa said in a note.

Elsewhere, the Thai baht and Indonesia's rupiah

both weakened 0.2 percent.

Renewed worries over tensions on the Korean Peninsula

weighed on the won, which fell 0.3 percent to

1,128.9, with some traders saying tensions forced some yuan

investors cover their short positions in the greenback.

YUAN AWAITS TRADE DEAL

The yuan, the region's strongest performer this

year, slipped 0.1 percent to 6.715 per dollar.

Investors have regained some of their lost appetite for a

currency that shed nearly 6 percent against the dollar in 2018.

The yuan is expected to trade around current levels in the

next year, a Reuters poll showed, on the prospect of an end to

the trade war with the United States.

Optimism about a trade deal getting done is largely priced

into the yuan-dollar rate already, though there may be a boost

for the Chinese currency once a pact is signed, said Stephen

Chiu, an FX and rates strategist at China Construction Bank Asia

Corp.

On Tuesday, a pledge by China's state planner to increase

the flexibility of the yuan's exchange rate set off market

speculation that a tweak to official wording could mean changes

to the country's tightly managed currency regime.

CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR

Change on the day at 0504 GMT

Currency Latest bid Previous day Pct Move

Japan yen 111.760 111.89 +0.12

Sing dlr 1.358 1.3554 -0.17

Taiwan dlr 30.849 30.847 -0.01

Korean won 1128.900 1125.5 -0.30

Baht 31.830 31.755 -0.24

Peso 52.250 52.23 -0.04

Rupiah 14145.000 14115 -0.21

Rupee 70.540 70.49 -0.08

Ringgit 4.087 4.074 -0.32

Yuan 6.715 6.7088 -0.08

Change so far in 2019

Currency Latest bid End 2018 Pct Move

Japan yen 111.760 109.56 -1.97

Sing dlr 1.358 1.3627 +0.37

Taiwan dlr 30.849 30.733 -0.38

Korean won 1128.900 1115.70 -1.17

Baht 31.830 32.55 +2.26

Peso 52.250 52.47 +0.42

Rupiah 14145.000 14375 +1.63

Rupee 70.540 69.77 -1.09

Ringgit 4.087 4.1300 +1.05

Yuan 6.715 6.8730 +2.36

(Reporting by Nikhil Kurian Nainan in Bengaluru; Editing by

Richard Borsuk)