SE Asia Stocks-Most fall; Philippines worst hit ahead of corporate results

* Philippine index down 0.8 pct; Singapore near 1-week high * Thai stocks on track for second straight session of loss * Vietnam gains ahead of Trump-Kim meet By Shriya Ramakrishnan Feb 27 (Reuters) - Philippines fell the most across Southeast Asian stock markets on Wednesday, as investors adopted a wait-and-watch approach ahead of corporate earnings results, while industrial and consumer sectors boosted Singapore's index. The Philippine benchmark index fell 0.8 percent, dragged down by industrial and consumer stocks. Index heavyweights SM Prime Holdings and SM Investments Corp, which are yet to report earnings results, dipped 1.8 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively. "Convincing break of the said (benchmark) resistance will be due to an improvement in corporate earnings growth and that's what investors are currently waiting for," said Rachelle C Cruz, an analyst at Manila-based AP Securities. Meanwhile, markets in the region also remained wary on the possibility of a Sino-U.S. trade deal, amid conflicting comments from U.S. President Donald Trump. The Malaysian benchmark, which has been the worst performing index since the turn of the year, slipped 0.3 percent, pulled down by financial and consumer stocks. Sime Darby Plantation, the world's biggest oil palm planter by holdings, dropped 1.9 percent while index heavyweight Axiata Group Bhd fell 0.7 percent. The Thai index edged lower, with industrial and utility stocks leading declines. Thailand's TMB Bank Pcl on Tuesday announced a non-binding agreement to merge with Thanachart Bank in a deal worth up to 140 billion baht ($4.46 billion), which would make the new entity the sixth largest bank in the country. Bucking the regional trend, Singapore stocks climbed 0.6 percent, with industrial conglomerate Jardine Matheson Holdings advancing 2 percent, while Jardine Strategic Holdings added 1 percent. The Vietnam index rose 0.4 percent, supported by financial and consumer stocks. Trump met Vietnam President Nguyen Phu Trong in Hanoi on Wednesday, hours before the U.S. president was due to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for their second summit. Also, Vietnam received $2.58 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in January-February, up 9.8 percent from the same period a year earlier. ($1 = 31.4000 baht) STOCK MARKETS AS AT 0349 GMT Change on the day Market Current Previous close Pct Move Singapore 3282.04 3261.66 0.62 Bangkok 1660.2 1663.56 -0.20 Manila 7924.31 7988.16 -0.80 Jakarta 6524.488 6540.95 -0.25 Kuala Lumpur 1713.85 1719 -0.30 Ho Chi Minh 990.87 987.06 0.39 Change so far in 2019 Market Current End 2018 Pct Move Singapore 3282.04 3068.76 6.95 Bangkok 1660.2 1563.88 6.16 Manila 7924.31 7,466.02 6.14 Jakarta 6524.488 6,194.50 5.33 Kuala Lumpur 1713.85 1690.58 1.38 Ho Chi Minh 990.87 892.54 11.02 (Reporting by Shriya Ramakrishnan in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)