EM ASIA FX-Asian currencies firmer on improved sentiment, S.Korean won leads gains

* Baht resumes trade on strong footing

* S.Korean won up on North-South co-operation

* Yuan hit by China growth concerns

(Adds details on won, yuan and rupiah, updates prices)

By Sumeet Gaikwad

Oct 16 (Reuters) - Asian currencies made slight advances

against the dollar on Tuesday as global sentiment towards

riskier assets improved following heavier losses over the past

week and as investors awaited U.S. economic data for cues on

greenback direction.

The dollar dipped 0.2 percent overnight after data

showed U.S. retail sales rose slower-than-expected at 0.1

percent in September.

"There is not going be very clear dollar direction until we

see a more noticeable rise in treasury yields or somewhat

stronger U.S. data coming through to support the rise in the

dollar," said Chang Wei Liang, an FX strategist at Mizuho Bank.

Emerging market currencies have taken a hit recently amid

worsening diplomatic tensions between the United States and

Saudi Arabia following the disappearance of a Saudi reporter in

Turkey.

The disappearance earlier this month of the journalist, who

was critical of Riyadh, has provoked an international outcry

against the oil-rich kingdom, which has rattled its financial

markets and currency.

In Asia, the South Korean won was the biggest

gainer after it agreed to begin reconnecting rail and road links

with its neighbour in the north, boosting sentiment over

stability in the region.

The export-reliant economy often sees currency moves linked

to its equity market. South Korean equities rose as much

as 0.8 percent on Tuesday.

The Thai baht resumed trade on a strong footing

after a pubic holiday in Thailand, rising as much as 0.37

percent to the dollar.

The Philippine peso was largely flat at 54.07 to the

dollar. The government cut gross domestic product growth target

for the year to 6.5-6.9 percent from 7-8 percent previously.

The Philippine government also expects the peso/dollar rate

to average 52.50-53.00 in 2018.

The Chinese yuan softened 0.09 percent against

the dollar after China's factory-gate inflation cooled for a

third straight month in September.

Strong global crude prices hurt the Indonesian rupiah

, which weakened 0.07 percent.

Saudi crude supply concerns pushed oil prices higher, adding

to negative sentiment ahead of U.S. sanctions against Iran's oil

exports.

The archipelago reported a steep fall in exports growth for

the month of September, its second straight month of decline.

Central bank governor Perry Warjiyo said weak export growth in

September was due to soft Chinese demand.

Investors are eyeing the country's imports as the economy

struggles to maintain a current account surplus.

CHINESE YUAN

The yuan has fallen over 6 percent this year, a source of

diplomatic concern for the world's second biggest economy as it

remains locked in an intensifying trade war with the United

States.

China's third-quarter growth will likely slow to its

weakest pace since the global financial crisis, a Reuters poll

predicted.

"Yuan is pretty much dependent on how the U.S. economy

evolves, in terms of whether or not they bring about a stronger

rates profile as well as how the actual impact of the trade war

will be on the export oriented sector in China," Mizuho's Chang

added.

The following table shows rates for Asian currencies against

the dollar at 0516 GMT.

CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR

Change on the day at 0516 GMT

Currency Latest bid Previous day Pct Move

Japan yen 112.090 111.76 -0.29

Sing dlr 1.378 1.3765 -0.09

Taiwan dlr 30.890 30.940 +0.16

Korean won 1127.500 1134.3 +0.60

Baht 32.680 32.74 +0.18

Peso 54.070 54.08 +0.02

Rupiah 15220.000 15200 -0.13

Rupee 73.895 73.83 -0.09

Ringgit 4.153 4.154 +0.02

Yuan 6.925 6.9185 -0.09

Change so far in 2018

Currency Latest bid End 2017 Pct Move

Japan yen 112.090 112.67 +0.52

Sing dlr 1.378 1.3373 -2.94

Taiwan dlr 30.890 29.848 -3.37

Korean won 1127.500 1070.50 -5.06

Baht 32.680 32.58 -0.31

Peso 54.070 49.93 -7.66

Rupiah 15220.000 13565 -10.87

Rupee 73.895 63.87 -13.57

Ringgit 4.153 4.0440 -2.62

Yuan 6.925 6.5069 -6.04

(Reporting by Sumeet Gaikwad in Bengaluru, Additional reporting

by Ambar Warrick; Editing by Sam Holmes)