REFILE-EMERGING MARKETS-Hawkish Fed comments weigh on Asian assets ahead of U.S. jobs data

(Adds Japan's daily and YTD stock index move in table) * Indian rupee hits record low * All Asian stock indexes in red * U.S. NFP data due later in day By Archishma Iyer Oct 7 (Reuters) - Most Asian currencies and equities lost ground on Friday, with the Indian rupee diving to a record low, as a chorus of hawkish commentary from U.S. Federal Reserve officials reinforced the central bank's intention to deliver more rate hikes. Several Fed officials affirmed their commitment to rein in soaring inflation, with no intention of backing down from the most aggressive rate hike campaign in decades. Although some soft U.S. economic data out during the week suggested the economy could be starting to feel the effects of the aggressive tightening, other data backed the need for more rate increases over coming months. Non-farm payrolls data due later in the day and September inflation print expected next week are likely to drive global markets in the near-term, with any comments from Fed officials likely to weigh on emerging assets. In Asia, the Indian rupee tumbled as much as 0.6% to trade at 82.408 per dollar, before the Reserve Bank of India likely stepped in to prevent any further losses by selling the greenback. However, traders said they feel the Indian central bank may not indulge in dollar-selling interventions aggressively as FX reserves have fallen for import cover. "The central bank may show its interim presence, but somewhere the intensity may reduce considering FX Reserves having a nine-month cover for imports and also liquidity is less in the system," said Kunal Sodhani, assistant vice president at Shinhan Bank. "FX reserves drawdown has been most severe in Malaysia, Thailand and India, followed by the Philippines," said Stephen Innes from SPI Asset Management. The South Korean won slumped about 0.8%, as the country reported its biggest current account deficit in August in more than two years. Despite higher oil prices, the Malaysian ringgit slipped about 0.3%. The country is set to table its 2023 budget, amid speculations about an snap election. "OPEC+'s (output) cut starting November could help to blunt upward pressures on the USD/MYR pair, even as it could remain in buoyant ranges near-term on election uncertainty," Innes said. Other currencies like Indonesia's rupiah, the Philippines peso and Thailand's baht lost between 0.2% and 0.4%. Among Asian stock markets, Vietnam lost as much as 4.9% to its lowest since early 2021, as foreign investors turned net sellers following recent Fed rate hikes. The index has lost about 31% on a year-to-date basis. Analysts from United Overseas Bank say the Southeast Asian country bore the brunt of equity outflows, noting about $7 million of foreign sales on Thursday. HIGHLIGHTS: ** Indonesian 10-year benchmark yields rise to 7.234% ** Japan's foreign reserves drop by record on market shakeout, FX intervention ** BOK chief says inflation could stay around 5% through H1 2023, warrants rate hikes Asia stock indexes and currencies at 0653 GMT COUNTRY FX RIC FX FX YTD INDE STOCKS STOCKS DAILY % % X DAILY YTD % % Japan +0.06 -20.66 <.N2 -0.70 -5.78 25> China EC> India -0.64 -9.80 <.NS -0.60 -0.72 EI> Indonesi -0.49 -6.62 <.JK -0.80 6.66 a SE> Malaysia -0.34 -10.47 <.KL -0.89 -10.19 SE> Philippi -0.20 -13.46 <.PS 0.01 -16.67 nes I> S.Korea 11> Singapor -0.18 -5.77 <.ST -0.17 0.72 e I> Taiwan -0.47 -12.59 <.TW -1.37 -24.79 II> Thailand -0.33 -10.92 <.SE -0.78 -4.87 TI> (Reporting by Archishma Iyer in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)