EM ASIA FX-Most Asia currencies inch up on dollar slip; rupee biggest gainer

(Adds text, updates prices)

By Aby Jose Koilparambil

Nov 22 (Reuters) - Most Asian currencies firmed slightly on

Thursday as the dollar's softening after two strong sessions

restored some appetite for emerging-market risk.

Sentiment was further lifted by a dip in oil prices, as most

major regional economies are net importers of the commodity and

any fall should aid key economic indicators.

Oil-induced volatility very much remains on the table,

Vishnu Varathan of Mizuho Bank said in a note.

To him, the "cat among the pigeons" for the oil market

remains "complex U.S.-Saudi geo-politics".

The Indian rupee, resuming trade after a holiday on

Wednesday and gains the first two days this week, was the top

gainer, firming as much as 0.5 percent to hit a fresh 11-week

high of 71.110 against the dollar.

Both the Thai baht and the Korean won

strengthened as much as 0.3 percent, but the Thai currency gave

up its gains.

Thailand's central bank governor on Thursday said it sees

less need for very low interest rates, which will remain

accommodative even as there is policy tightening, suggesting a

rate hike could still come soon.

The Indonesian rupiah advanced 0.24 percent.

The Philippine peso and the Malaysian ringgit

also had marginal gains.

Safe-haven currencies such as the dollar, Japanese yen and

Swiss franc had been bolstered by a two-day sell-off on Wall

Street but higher U.S. stocks and a stronger euro dented the

greenback.

U.S. economic data also did not help the dollar as new

orders for key locally-made capital goods were unexpectedly

unchanged in October, while the number of Americans filing

applications for unemployment benefits rose to a more than

four-month high last week.

SINGAPORE DOLLAR

The Singapore dollar weakened slightly, falling as

much as 0.1 percent, on news Singapore's economy expanded at a

much slower pace than initially thought in the third quarter.

The government flagged further moderation in the current

quarter and warning that the U.S.-Sino trade war will hurt

growth in 2019.

The economy grew 3.0 percent in the July-September quarter

from the previous three months on an annualised and seasonally

adjusted basis, revised final figures from Ministry of Trade and

Industry showed on Thursday.

OCBC Treasury Research analysts said in a note that the full

impact on Singapore economy from the dual headwinds of

escalation of Sino-U.S. trade conflicts and faster-than-expected

tightening of global financial conditions has been fairly muted

in 2018's second half and will be likely postponed to 2019.

The following table shows rates for Asian currencies against

the dollar at 0525 GMT.

CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR

Currency Latest bid Previous day Pct Move

Japan yen 112.980 113.05 +0.06

Sing dlr 1.373 1.3722 -0.04

Taiwan dlr 30.899 30.908 +0.03

Korean won 1129.800 1131.6 +0.16

Baht 32.970 32.97 +0.00

Peso 52.310 52.35 +0.08

Rupiah 14565.000 14600 +0.24

Rupee 71.168 71.45 +0.40

Ringgit 4.190 4.193 +0.07

Yuan 6.930 6.9280 -0.03

Change so far in 2018

Currency Latest bid End 2017 Pct Move

Japan yen 112.980 112.67 -0.27

Sing dlr 1.373 1.3373 -2.58

Taiwan dlr 30.899 29.848 -3.40

Korean won 1129.800 1070.50 -5.25

Baht 32.970 32.58 -1.18

Peso 52.310 49.93 -4.55

Rupiah 14565.000 13565 -6.87

Rupee 71.168 63.87 -10.25

Ringgit 4.190 4.0440 -3.48

Yuan 6.930 6.5069 -6.11

(Reporting by Aby Jose Koilparambil in Bengaluru; Editing by

Richard Borsuk)