SE Asia Stocks-Indonesia falls on profit-taking, most others end flat

* Oil prices hit 2019 high on Iranian crude exports ban

* Indonesia interest rate decision due on Thursday

* Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand end little

changed

By Mensholong Lepcha

April 22 (Reuters) - Indonesian shares fell more than 1

percent on Monday as investors booked profits following last

week's election-driven rally, while most other regional markets

ended little changed.

The Jakarta index fell 1.4 percent and was the top

decliner in the region as all sectors except energy ended in the

red.

The index tacked on 1.6 percent last week, its highest since

late February, on expectations of incumbent leader Joko Widodo's

return to power for a second five-year term.

"This is a profit taking since we have seen the index

increased pretty solidly last week. We believe this (fall) to be

temporary because we are confident that foreign fund flow will

continue to come in," said Hariyanto Wijaya, an analyst with

Mirae Asset Sekuritas in Jakarta.

Unilever Indonesia and Astra International

were the top drags on the index, falling 2.3 percent

and 4.1 percent, respectively.

An index of the country's 45 most-liquid stocks

fell 1.7 percent.

Investors now await Indonesia's central bank meeting due on

Thursday. A Reuters poll showed the country's central bank

keeping interest rates on hold, though some economists say a

rate cut to bolster economic growth is coming.

Elsewhere, Thai shares erased gains late in the

session to end flat.

Gains in energy stocks countered losses in healthcare and

utilities as oil prices spiked on Monday after the United States

looked set to announce that all buyers of Iranian oil must end

their imports or be subject to sanctions.

Oil and gas heavyweights PTT and PTT Exploration

and Production rose 1.6 percent and 2.3 percent,

respectively.

Singapore shares edged up 0.3 percent to close at its

highest since June 2018. The Singapore market has outperformed

its regional peers this year, gaining 9.4 percent so far in

2019.

Keppel Corp rose 2.4 percent, while CapitaLand

Mall Trust climbed 1.3 percent.

Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam

closed little changed.

For Asian Companies click;

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS AS AT 0955 GMT

Change on the day

Market Current Previous Pct Move

close

Singapore 3357.7 3347.58 0.30

Bangkok 1673.48 1674.1 -0.04

Manila 7832.43 7835.15 -0.03

Jakarta 6414.743 6507.221 -1.42

Kuala Lumpur 1622.06 1622.07 0.00

Ho Chi Minh 965.86 966.21 -0.04

Change so far in

2019

Market Current End 2018 Pct Move

Singapore 3357.7 3068.76 9.42

Bangkok 1673.48 1563.88 7.01

Manila 7832.43 7,466.02 4.91

Jakarta 6414.743 6,194.50 3.56

Kuala Lumpur 1622.06 1690.58 -4.05

Ho Chi Minh 965.86 892.54 8.21

(Reporting by Mensholong Lepcha, additional reporting by

Fransiska Nangoy; Editing by Shreejay Sinha)