SE Asia Stocks-Most fall as tech sell-off drags broader Asia lower; Philippines recovers

* S'pore shares on track for weekly gain of 2 pct

* Philippine shares up 0.8 pct

By Nikhil Nainan

April 20 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets

slipped on Friday tracking broader Asia which was hit by a

sell-off in technology stocks, while Philippine shares regained

some ground following a sharp fall in the previous session.

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

was trading 1 percent lower as technology stocks

fell after the world's largest contract chipmaker Taiwan

Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd forecast softer

demand for smartphones.

Singapore shares declined after tech service provider

Venture Corporation Ltd slumped 11.8 percent to an

eight-week low.

"Philip Morris is a key client, Venture makes the

e-cigarettes for Philip Morris," said Joel Ng, a research

analyst at KGI Securities in Singapore.

Shares of Philip Morris International Inc fell as

much 17.7 percent after the cigarette giant reported

weaker-than-expected results.

Indonesian shares slipped 0.6 percent with

financials and household product stocks leading the losses.

Unilever Indonesia Tbk PT and Bank Central Asia Tbk PT

fell 1.7 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively.

On Thursday, Indonesia's central bank kept its key interest

rate unchanged, tying the decision to a need to maintain

stability.

Malaysian stocks fell 0.4 percent with losses in

heavyweight material and utility stocks tipping the index lower.

Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd slumped 3.6

percent as three-month aluminium on the London Metal Exchange

fell for a second day.

Philippine shares gained 0.9 percent after hitting a

one-year low in the previous session as inflation worries

sparked heavy foreign selling, but were still headed for a

weekly loss of nearly 2 percent.

“One of things we can definitely say is that markets have

been very volatile lately. So this is just a manifestation

(today's gain) of that volatility,” said April Lee-Tan, head of

research at COL Financial.

The Philippine Central Bank Governor Nestor Espenilla said

on Friday the monetary authority is satisfied with its current

policy actions despite a weaker currency, rising inflation and

falling stocks.

For Asian Companies click;

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Change at 0407 GMT

Market Current Previous close Pct Move

Singapore 3570.92 3598.73 -0.77

Bangkok 1795 1828.88 -1.85

Manila 7747.27 7682.24 0.85

Jakarta 6320.652 6355.901 -0.55

Kuala Lumpur 1888.12 1895.18 -0.37

Ho Chi Minh 1092.5 1094.63 -0.19

Change on year

Market Current End 2017 Pct Move

Singapore 3570.92 3402.92 4.94

Bangkok 1795 1753.71 2.35

Manila 7747.27 8558.42 -9.48

Jakarta 6320.652 6355.654 -0.55

Kuala Lumpur 1888.12 1796.81 5.08

Ho Chi Minh 1092.5 984.24 11.00

(Reporting by Nikhil Kurian Nainan; Editing by Vyas Mohan)