SE Asia Stocks-Largely flat; Fed wary on U.S. policy uncertainty

By Susan Mathew

Feb 23 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian stock markets were

largely flat in lacklustre trading on Thursday after the U.S.

Federal Reserve indicated willingness to raise interest rates,

but cautioned about a lack of clarity on the Trump

administration's economic policies.

The Fed's January meeting minutes said that it may be

appropriate to raise rates again "fairly soon" should jobs and

inflation data be in line with expectations, but it also

reflected the depth of uncertainty at the Fed over economic

risks from President Donald Trump's plans.

Investors are cautious about the "global uncertainties

related to Trump's economic policies as well as the interest

rate direction of the Federal Reserve, which was actually a

non-event," said Taye Shim, head of research at Mirae Asset

Sekuritas.

"So most of the investors within the emerging markets are

pretty much on the sidelines."

Thai shares fell the most in the region, down 0.4

percent, with energy and financial sectors dragging down the

index.

Lenders Siam Commercial Bank and Kasikornbank PCL

fell 0.7 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively.

Among energy stocks, PTT Pcl lost 1 percent, while

and PTT Exploration shed nearly 2 percent.

Singapore stocks were mostly steady ahead of the consumer

price inflation data for January due later in the day.

Singapore's consumer price index for January is expected to

have risen at the fastest pace in more than two years to 0.6

percent from a year earlier, buoyed by higher fuel prices and

private transport costs, a Reuters poll showed.

Agribusiness company Wilmar International was

among the losers, falling 2.4 percent for a fourth straight

session to its lowest in more than a month.

Philippine shares rose 0.2 percent for a second

straight day, hitting its highest in over three weeks.

Energy and utility stocks lent support to the index, with

Semirara Mining and Power Corp climbing 2.6 percent and

Manila Electric Co rising 1.4 percent.

For Asian Companies click;

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS: CHANGE AT 0414 GMT

Market Current Previous Close Pct Move

Singapore 3121.31 3122.2 -0.03

Bangkok 1566.47 1572.04 -0.35

Manila 7319.01 7304.45 0.20

Jakarta 5365.552 5358.683 0.13

Kuala Lumpur 1707.67 1708.08 -0.02

Ho Chi Minh 716.93 717.24 -0.04

Change on year

Market Current End 2016 Pct Move

Singapore 3121.31 2880.76 8.35

Bangkok 1566.47 1542.94 1.53

Manila 7319.01 6840.64 7.00

Jakarta 5365.552 5296.711 1.30

Kuala Lumpur 1707.67 1641.73 4.02

Ho Chi Minh 716.93 644.87 11.2

(Reporting by Susan Mathew in Bengaluru; additional reporting

by Christina Martin; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri)