SE Asia Stocks-Most end higher on trade talk progress; Indonesia leads

(Corrects fourth paragraph to say DBS Group Holdings is

Singapore's biggest listed company, not second biggest)

* Singapore hits over 4-month closing high

* Indonesia, Vietnam rise over 1 percent

By Shreya Mariam Job

Feb 18 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets closed

higher on Monday, with Indonesia leading the pack boosted by

gains in financial and telecom sector counters, as progress in

U.S.-China trade talks raised optimism among investors.

The world's largest economies are to resume trade talks in

Washington this week with U.S. President Donald Trump hinting at

an extension to the March 1 deadline for a deal to prevent

further tariffs on Chinese goods.

The Indonesian index led the gains in the region and

ended up 1.7 percent, driven by financials and telecom stocks.

Bank Central Asia and Telekomunikasi Indonesia

firmed 2.2 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively.

Singapore's benchmark rose 0.8 percent to an over

four-month closing high, bolstered by gains in the country's

biggest listed company DBS Group Holdings.

Shares of the biggest lender in Southeast Asia rose 1.7

percent after the it reported a record annual profit and an 8

percent rise in quarterly profit.

Other financial stocks also gained, with Oversea-Chinese

Banking Corp and United Overseas Bank rising

1.7 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively.

Investors also awaited supportive measures for the economy

from the budget speech.

"The government's budget...will likely need to incorporate

some offsetting measures to stimulate the domestic economy in

the face of mounting external weakness," a note from ING said.

Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat in an annual budget speech

announced an introduction of S$1.1 billion ($811.15

million)bicentennial bonus for Singaporeans.

The benchmark, however, seemed largely unaffected by the

larger-than-expected decline in January non-oil domestic

exports.

Real estate and utility stocks pushed the Vietnam benchmark

index more than 1 percent higher, with Petrovietnam Gas

JSC rising 3.4 percent and Vingroup JSC

advancing 1.5 percent.

Philippine stocks rose 0.8 percent boosted by

industrial stocks with JG Summit Holdings Inc

strengthening 7.8 percent, while San Miguel Corp gained

7.1 percent.

The Thai index, however, ended about 0.1 percent

down, dragged by industrials and healthcare stocks.

For Asian Companies click;

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Change on the day

Market Current Previous close Pct Move

Singapore 3265.97 3239.74 0.81

Bangkok 1635.71 1636.94 -0.08

Manila 7971.33 7908.89 0.79

Jakarta 6497.815 6389.085 1.70

Kuala Lumpur 1692.74 1688.83 0.23

Ho Chi Minh 961.3 950.89 1.09

Change so far in 2019

Market Current End 2018 Pct Move

Singapore 3265.97 3068.76 6.43

Bangkok 1635.71 1563.88 4.59

Manila 7971.33 7,466.02 6.77

Jakarta 6497.815 6,194.50 4.90

Kuala Lumpur 1692.74 1690.58 0.13

Ho Chi Minh 961.3 892.54 7.70

(Reporting by Shreya Mariam Job in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi

Aich)