SE Asia Stocks-Most end lower on worries Sino-U.S. trade deal may derail

* China dispatches top negotiator to U.S. for make-or-break

deal

China posts mixed April trade data

Thailand cenbank maintains interest rate at 1.75 pct

By Nikhil Subba

May 8 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets closed

weaker on Wednesday, as concerns of an escalation in the

Sino-U.S. trade dispute reflected a reprice in global growth

prospects, while the Philippine index rebounded to close

marginally higher.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He is due to visit Washington on

Thursday and Friday for trade talks in a last-ditch bid to avert

a sharp increase in tariffs on Chinese goods ordered by U.S.

President Donald Trump.

"I don't think investors are feeling too hopeful about

things ... hopes that the global economy is stabalizing will all

be gone if the trade talks fail ... if the tariffs that Trump

has tweeted are applied on Friday, there will be more downside

on markets," said Joanne Goh, equity strategist, DBS Bank Ltd.

Trade data from China - Southeast Asia's top trading partner

- showed exports unexpectedly shrank in April, but imports

surprised with their first increase in five months, indicating

some improvement in domestic demand.

The data painted a mixed picture of the world's

second-largest economy, which has been reeling under slowing

growth partly due to the trade dispute.

Singapore stocks, which are most exposed to global

trade, closed 1 percent lower, weighed down by losses in the oil

and gas sector. The United States and China are major export

destinations for the city-state.

Singapore-based lender DBS Group Holdings, which

was the biggest contributor to the benchmark's decline, slipped

nearly 1 percent at close.

Thai stocks closed nearly 1 percent down at a

one-month low, with consumer non-cyclicals and technology stocks

being the top drags.

Thailand's central bank on Wednesday kept its benchmark

interest rate unchanged at 1.75 percent, as widely expected,

saying monetary policy remained accommodative, while risks to

financial stability remained.

Indonesian and Malaysian stocks both ended

about 0.4 percent weaker. Industrial stocks dragged the

Malaysian index lower, while the utilities sector pulled down

the Indonesian benchmark.

Philippine stocks reversed course to close marginally

higher, after dropping 2 percent earlier in the session.

Gains in the benchmark were boosted by heavyweights SM

Investment Corp, which climbed 1.8 percent after the

conglomerate posted strong first-quarter results.

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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS AT 1002 GMT

Change on day

Market Current Previous Pct Move

Close

Singapore 3282.5 3312.52 -0.91

Bangkok 1655.39 1669.68 -0.86

Manila 7926.69 7910.63 0.20

Jakarta 6270.202 6297.318 -0.43

Kuala Lumpur 1633.55 1639.37 -0.36

Ho Chi Minh 951.22 957.56 -0.66

Change on year

Market Current End 2017 Pct Move

Singapore 3282.5 3068.76 6.97

Bangkok 1655.39 1563.88 5.85

Manila 7926.69 8558.42 -7.38

Jakarta 6270.202 6194.498 1.22

Kuala Lumpur 1633.55 1690.58 -3.37

Ho Chi Minh 951.22 984.24 -3.35

(Reporting by Nikhil Subba; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)