EMERGING MARKETS-Asian currencies gain, yields fall as Fed rate hike bets ease

* Improved risk sentiment aids Asian stocks * South Korea's won up 0.9% to hit 1-month high * Yuan bucks regional trend and trades lower * Thailand's exports for April miss estimates By Harish Sridharan May 27 (Reuters) - Emerging Asian currencies strengthened on Friday as the dollar weaknened, while benchmark bond yields in several countries fell on hopes that the U.S. Federal Reserve might slow or even pause its tightening cycle later this year. Yields on Indonesia's historically high-yielding debt fell to 7.118%, its lowest since May 9, while the yield on Malaysia's benchmark 10-year note hit its trough since mid-April. Minutes from the Fed's May meeting, released Wednesday, showed most participants believed 50 basis-point hikes would be appropriate at the June and July policy meetings, but many thought big, early hikes would allow room to pause later in the year to assess the effects of that policy tightening. "Lower U.S. yields and a weaker dollar are generally conducive for inflows into emerging market portfolio assets," said Mitul Kotecha, head of emerging markets strategy at TD Securities. "There are certainly some temporary signs of a return of flows into Asia's bond and equity markets and that is helping currencies," he added. South Korea's won firmed 0.9% to its highest in a month, while the Indonesian rupiah, Taiwanese dollar and Malaysian ringgit were up between 0.4% and 0.5%. Stocks in Asia were also on track to close the week on a strong note, buoyed by an overnight relief rally on Wall Street, with investors taking comfort from strong results for regional technology firms and U.S. retailers. Taiwan shares jumped 1.9%, recording their best session since mid-March, while shares in Jakarta gained 1.7% to hit their highest since May 9. The yuan, which has underperformed among Asia currencies this week, was flat, as new data highlighted the challenges confronting the country's economy. Profits at China's industrial firms fell at their fastest pace in two years in April as high raw material prices and supply chain chaos caused by COVID-19 curbs squeezing margins and disrupted factory activity. "There is growing pessimism about China... and hopes for a rebound hinge on a reopening of the economy from severe COVID restrictions," said Alvin Tan, head of Asia FX Strategy at RBC Capital Markets. "The fog of uncertainty is very thick," he added. The won led gains among regional currencies, a day after the country's central bank delivered back-to-back interest rate hikes and forecast further aggressive increases to wrestle consumer inflation down from 13-year highs. Thailand's exports in April rose 9.9% from a year earlier, short of a forecasted 14.6% rise in a Reuters poll. Stocks and the baht both inched up 0.1%. HIGHLIGHTS ** Stocks in Jakarta hit highest since May 9 ** Taiwanese dollar hits highest since April 26 ** Yield on Indonesia's benchmark 10-year notes hits 2-1/2 week low Asia stock indexes and currencies at 0557 GMT COUNTRY FX RIC FX FX INDEX STOCK STOCKS DAILY YTD % S YTD % % DAILY % Japan +0.24 -9.27 0.56 -7.08 China -0.05 -5.73 0.17 -14.05 India -0.07 -4.25 0.51 -6.35 Indonesia +0.41 -2.20 1.64 6.30 Malaysia +0.39 -4.91 -0.18 -1.86 Philippines +0.13 -2.45 0.65 -6.09 S.Korea +0.93 -5.30 0.88 -11.50 Singapore +0.14 -1.58 0.44 3.19 Taiwan +0.47 -5.71 1.86 -10.72 Thailand +0.09 -2.28 0.07 -1.38 (Reporting by Harish Sridharan in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)