SE Asia Stocks-Fall as Italian crisis weighs on global sentiment

* Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam indexes over 2 pct lower

* Indonesian shares cut losses ahead of cbank meeting

By Nicole Pinto

May 30 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian stock markets fell on

Wednesday amid a global sell-off that was provoked by

uncertainty over Italy's elections which may cause a referendum

on the euro, and on fears the United States would impose further

trade measures against China.

Investors fear that repeat elections in the euro zone's

third-largest economy - which could come as soon as July - may

become a de-facto referendum on Italian membership of the

currency bloc and the country's role in the European Union.

Eyes were also on the United States after Washington said it

will release a list of some $50 billion worth of Chinese goods

that will be subject to a 25 percent tariff by June 15, while

China said it would safeguard its interests if the White House

was looking to reignite a trade war.

Asia shares ex-Japan lost 1.5 percent, while

Wall Street's main indexes fell up to 1.6 percent overnight.

Asian bourses may attempt to trade on a slight risk-off tone

amid the ratcheting higher of geopolitical and trade tensions,

OCBC Treasury Research said in a note.

Singapore shares fell over 2 percent, dragged down by

financials, with DBS Group, Oversea-Chinese Banking

Corporation and United Overseas Bank leading

the losses.

Malaysia slipped up to 2.3 percent to touch a more

than five-month low. Tenaga Nasional, the biggest drag

on the index, extended losses to fall as much as 5 percent.

The Indonesian index fell as much as 0.9 percent

ahead of a central bank policy meeting later in the day, where

it is expected to raise its benchmark interest rate

.

An index of the country's 45 most liquid stocks

fell nearly 0.9 percent.

Shares in Vietnam fell over 2 percent, while the

Philippines' benchmark index slipped as much as 1.4

percent to its lowest in over one year.

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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS: Change as at 0325 GMT

STOCK MARKETS

Current Previous Close Pct Move

Singapore 3444.11 3518.48 -2.11

Bangkok 1719.38 1734.54 -0.87

Manila 7496.78 7602.36 -1.39

Jakarta 6055.934 6068.325 -0.20

Kuala Lumpur 1732.52 1775.84 -2.44

Ho Chi Minh 939.55 952.18 -1.33

Change on year

Market Current End 2017 Pct Move

Singapore 3444.11 3402.92 1.21

Bangkok 1719.38 1753.71 -1.96

Manila 7496.78 8558.42 -12.40

Jakarta 6055.934 6355.654 -4.72

Kuala Lumpur 1732.52 1796.81 -3.58

Ho Chi Minh 939.55 984.24 -4.54

(Reporting by Nicole Pinto; Editing by Biju Dwarakanath)