SE Asia Stocks-Largely down; Philippines falls as Duterte tirade continues

By Sandhya Sampath

Oct 26 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets ended

lower on Wednesday tracking regional peers, led by the

Philippines as President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated threats to

end U.S.-Philippines military pacts.

Philippine shares ended lower for a fifth consecutive

session, closing more than 1 percent lower.

Financials and consumer staples were hurt the most, with

conglomerates Ayala Land Inc and JG Summit Holdings,

Inc down 1.6 percent and 1.9 percent, respectively.

Duterte, adding to his recent tirade against the United

States, said that he might end defence treaties with Washington.

The Philippine leader's rhetoric comes in the backdrop of

his visit to U.S.-ally Japan, where his delegation is expected

to score private-sector deals worth around $2 billion,

according to a BusinessWorld report, and has raised concerns

among investors.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan

slid 0.8 percent as sentiment weakened by

declines in U.S. stocks and a more than one percent fall in oil

prices. [

"Oil prices are softer and U.S. markets closed on the back

foot which also makes Asian equity markets look not particularly

upbeat," said Vishnu Varathan, a senior economist with

Singapore-based Mizuho Corporate Bank.

The Singapore Index closed 0.9 percent lower, in a

second session of losses, weighed down by energy and consumer

stocks.

Oil rig builder Sembcorp Industries Ltd, the

biggest loser on the benchmark index, lost nearly 4 percent.

Investors shrugged off the better-than-expected surge in

Singapore's industrial production in September.

Thai shares closed nearly 1 percent lower, dragged

down by energy and industrials, with oil and natural gas refiner

PTT Exploration and Production Public Co Ltd closing

2.1 percent lower.

Investor reaction was muted to an unexpected increase in

Thailand's customs-cleared exports for September, an encouraging

sign for the trade-dependent economy still struggling to regain

traction.

Malaysian stocks were marginally lower, while

Vietnam stocks closed down 0.4 percent.

For Asian Companies click;

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Change at 0945 GMT

Market Current Previous Close Pct Move

Singapore 2866.05 2867.21 -0.89

Bangkok 1492.12 1506.47 -0.95

Manila 7494.41 7580.22 -1.13

Jakarta 5399.679 5397.821 0.03

Kuala Lumpur 1673.92 1677.43 -0.21

Ho Chi Minh 673.61 676.18 -0.38

Change on year

Market Current End prev yr Pct Move

Singapore 2866.05 2882.73 -0.58

Bangkok 1492.12 1288.02 15.85

Manila 7494.41 6952.08 7.80

Jakarta 5399.679 4593.008 17.56

Kuala Lumpur 1673.92 1692.51 -1.10

Ho Chi Minh 673.61 579.03 16.33

(Reporting by Sandhya Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Amrutha

Gayathri)