EMERGING MARKETS-Asian currencies fall on firm dollar, stocks mixed on US rate cut worries

(.) * S. Korean won weakens 0.4% * Singapore stocks fall 1.3% * Malaysia rate decision due on Thursday By Ayushman Ojha May 8 (Reuters) - Asian currencies weakened against a firm dollar on Wednesday, while stock markets in the region halted their bullish run as investors took a cautious approach on the U.S. rate cut path, after optimism stoked by last week's soft jobs data faded. The South Korean won led losses among emerging Asian currencies with a 0.4% fall, while Thailand's baht lost 0.3%. The Indonesian rupiah fell 0.2%. The country's finance minister said on Tuesday that the volatility in forex markets over the last month needed to be monitored and carefully managed, adding that the dollar's strength was having a more immediate effect. The dollar has remained dominant this whole year and it is "going to remain resilient because in our view, the Fed is only going to cut one time this year," said Alvin Tan, head of Asia FX strategy at RBC Capital Markets. "The market by anticipating more than one cut by the Fed, is overdone in the dovish expectation of the Fed," Tan added. Among other currencies, the Philippine peso and the Taiwanese dollar fell 0.2% each. Both the countries reported lower-than-expected inflation numbers on Tuesday. The Malaysian ringgit fell by 0.2% ahead of a key interest rate decision on Thursday. The country's central bank held rates steady at the last meeting but noted that the ringgit was undervalued. "It is not a very acute situation for the (Malaysian) central bank, so I don't think they will be driven to hike just because of the exchange rate," Tan said. Meanwhile, stock markets in the region were mixed as investors assessed the timing and number of likely U.S. rate cuts this year, after last week's softer-than-expected jobs data bolstered bets of policy easing. Stocks in Indonesia fell as much as 0.7%, while Singapore shares lost 1.3%. Philippine shares gained 0.6% after falling as much as 0.7% in early trade, while stocks in Thailand were largely muted. Shares in Taiwan and South Korea rose 0.2% and 0.4%, respectively, while Malaysian stocks inched 0.1% lower. The Japanese yen fell 0.4%, drifting further away from the highs scaled last week on suspected intervention from Japanese authorities to stop a sharp slide in the currency. HIGHLIGHTS: ** Indonesia's FX reserves drop to $136.2 bln at end-April ** China's yuan slips as hawkish Fed comments boost dollar ** Bank of Japan issues stronger warning over yen's impact on policy Asia stock indexes and currenc ies at 0645 GMT COUNTRY FX RIC FX FX INDE STOCK STOCK DAILY YTD X S S YTD % % DAILY % % Japan -0.35 -9.1 <.N2 -1.63 14.16 3 25> China 6 EC> India -0.00 -0.3 <.NS 0.03 2.66 6 EI> Indones -0.19 -4.2 <.JK -0.46 -2.50 ia 0 SE> Malaysi -0.16 -3.2 <.KL -0.1 10.36 a 4 SE> Philipp -0.17 -3.4 <.PS 0.22 2.84 ines 7 I> S.Korea 0 11> Singapo -0.10 -2.6 <.ST -1.22 0.60 re 7 I> Taiwan -0.19 -5.2 <.TW 0.23 15.45 3 II> Thailan -0.28 -7.5 <.SE 0.08 -2.71 d 7 TI> (Reporting by Ayushman Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Subhranshu Sahu)