SE Asia Stocks-Malaysia falls on weak factory data, Singapore advances

* Malaysia Aug manufacturing PMI lowest since March * Singapore, Thailand buck downward trend By Nikhil Subba Sept 3 (Reuters) - Malaysia stocks fell nearly 1% on Tuesday after disappointing factory data and most others in the region were subdued on rising U.S.-China trade tensions, while Singapore edged up ahead of key manufacturing numbers. The United States and China imposed additional tariffs on each other's goods over the weekend, which rekindled worries of a global recession. "In terms of trading activity there's not much, so even if it's moving up, activity is not much. It's just a bounce because everyone is very tentative," said Rachelle Cruz, an analyst at AP Securities. Investors are looking ahead to the likelihood of the next round of tariffs expected in October and the outcome of the U.S. Federal Reserve meeting in September, Cruz said. Malaysia stocks declined after data on Tuesday showed that the country's manufacturing performance for August fell fractionally to its lowest since March. Dialog Group, a provider of technical services to the oil and gas sector, was the top loser on the Malaysian benchmark, followed by tourist resort operator Genting Malaysia , both falling about 1%. The Philippine index slipped 0.3%, pressured by industrials and telecom stocks. Infrastructure developer Metro Pacific Investments Corp tumbled 2.2%, while Globe Telecom Inc fell 1.9%. Indonesia's benchmark was down marginally, weighed down by utilities and telecom services. Meanwhile, Singapore's Straits Times Index inched up, boosted by utilities and industrial stocks, ahead of August manufacturing data expected later in the day. The data will throw light on the country's economy, which depends heavily on manufacturing and shipping of electronic products against the backdrop of a global slowdown. Sembcorp Industries climbed 2.5%, while Jardine Matheson Holdings advanced as much as 1.2%. For Asian Companies click; SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS AT 0424 GMT Market Current Previous close Pct Move Singapore 3090.43 3082.96 0.24 Bangkok 1657.7 1654.11 0.22 Manila 7900.85 7918.53 -0.22 Jakarta 6281.698 6290.546 -0.14 Kuala Lumpur 1598.06 1612.14 -0.87 Ho Chi Minh 982.92 984.06 -0.12 Change so far in 2019 Market Current End 2018 Pct Move Singapore 3090.43 3068.76 0.71 Bangkok 1657.7 1563.88 6.00 Manila 7900.85 7,466.02 5.82 Jakarta 6281.698 6,194.50 1.41 Kuala Lumpur 1598.06 1690.58 -5.47 Ho Chi Minh 982.92 892.54 10.13 (Reporting by Nikhil Subba in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)