SE Asia Stocks-Mark time ahead of Trump inauguration

By Aparajita Saxena

Jan 20 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets marked

time on Friday ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration as U.S.

president, even though China posted forecast-beating

fourth-quarter economic growth.

Indonesian shares fell as much as 0.7 percent in

their biggest percentage drop since Jan. 9, with financials and

consumer staples accounting for more than half of the decline.

Bank Central Asia was the biggest negative

influence, followed by Unilever Indonesia.

"Trump has not spoken much about his policies, and that has

made everyone nervous in the United States," said Harry Su, an

analyst with Bahana Securities in Indonesia.

China's fourth-quarter gross domestic product growth came in

at 6.8 percent, versus forecasts of 6.7 percent, supported by

higher government spending and record bank lending.

Investors also took note of U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet

Yellen's speech where she spoke of a gradual pace of rate hikes,

as opposed to rapid hikes, to keep inflation low and jobs

plentiful and avoid harming the recovery the Fed has sought to

nurture.

"I think that allowing the economy to run markedly and

persistently 'hot' would be risky and unwise," Yellen said in

remarks prepared for delivery to the Stanford Institute for

Economic Policy Research.

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

slipped 0.2 percent, and looked set to end the

week 0.1 percent lower.

Philippine shares were down after two consecutive

sessions of gains on across-the-board sell off. Food products

company Universal Robina Corp was the biggest loser.

Vietnam shares gained 0.5 percent, led by consumer

staples. Vietnam Dairy Products JSC was the top gainer,

up 1.75 percent, followed by Hanoi Beer Alcohol and Beverage

Corp.

Thailand was up 0.3 percent after opening lower,

helped by energy shares which rose on the back of stronger oil

prices.

Oil climbed for a second day, underpinned by expectations of

tighter supply and on reports of record Chinese demand, but

prices remained under pressure from rising U.S. crude and

gasoline inventories.

Oil majors PTT PCL led the gains in the sector,

followed by Thai Oil PCL.

For Asian Companies click;

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS; Change at 0426 GMT

Market Current Previous Pct Move

Close

Singapore 3009.05 3008.22 0.03

Bangkok 1558.84 1554.88 0.25

Manila 7238.08 7246.08 -0.11

Jakarta 5265.747 5298.948 -0.63

Kuala Lumpur 1665.69 1666.51 -0.05

Ho Chi Minh 686.01 682.31 0.54

Change this year

Market Current End 2015 Pct Move

Singapore 3009.05 2880.76 4.45

Bangkok 1558.84 1542.94 1.03

Manila 7238.08 6952.08 4.11

Jakarta 5265.747 5296.711 -0.58

Kuala Lumpur 1665.69 1641.73 1.46

Ho Chi Minh 686.01 672.01 2.08

(Reporting by Aparajita Saxena in Bengaluru; Additional

reporting by Sandhya Sampath; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)