SE Asia Stocks-Most fall as trade woes hurt risk appetite

* Philippines top loser with 1.4 pct drop

* Singapore gains on 'window dressing'

By Devika Syamnath

Sept 25 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets

closed lower on Tuesday as an escalation in the Sino-U.S. trade

dispute hurt risk appetite, while a weak peso piled on the

Philippines' woes.

Broader Asia also struggled after China and the United

States imposed new tariffs on each other's goods on Monday, with

neither side looking to back down and adding to worries about

risks to global growth.

"The failure of China and the U.S. to come to terms on the

negotiation table... is creating weakness in major economies in

Asia, and has resulted in most Southeast Asian equities to

retreat from what they gained last week," said Manny Cruz, a

Manila-based analyst with Asiasec Equities Inc.

Earlier this month, Chinese officials welcomed an invitation

from Washington for a new round of trade talks but then scrapped

plans for diplomatic discussions on Friday.

Philippine shares fell 1.4 percent, making them the

top losers in the region, weighed down by real estate and

financial stocks.

"Weakness of the peso and expectations of higher inflation

for the month of September are two factors that dragged market

sentiment," Cruz said.

The peso extended its retreat into a fourth session,

hitting a near 13-year low, ahead of an expected rate hike at

the central bank's meeting on Thursday.

Property owner SM Investments and Bank of the

Philippine Islands were the biggest burdens on the

index, shedding 2.7 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively.

Indonesian shares slipped, hurt by consumer staples

and material stocks. Unilever Indonesia Tbk PT was the

top drag with a loss of 2.3 percent.

An index of the country's 45 most liquid stocks

declined 0.2 percent.

Malaysian shares fell 0.3 percent with telco Axiata

Group Bhd shedding 4.4 percent, while Vietnam stocks

edged lower, hurt mostly by banks.

Singapore shares closed 0.5 percent higher, extending

gains into a fifth session, with Cruz attributing it to "window

dressing" before the third quarter's close - a practice where

portfolio managers try to improve the appearance of a fund's

performance near the year- or quarter-end.

Financials accounted for most of the rise, with top lender

Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp closing 0.8 percent

higher.

For Asian Companies click;

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Change on day

Market Current Previous Close Pct Move

Singapore 3236.08 3219.16 0.53

Bangkok 1747.99 1749.42 -0.08

Manila 7332.17 7433.61 -1.36

Jakarta 5874.299 5882.22 -0.13

Kuala Lumpur 1794.47 1800.17 -0.32

Ho Chi Minh 1010.74 1011.29 -0.05

Change on year

Market Current End 2017 Pct Move

Singapore 3236.08 3402.92 -4.90

Bangkok 1747.99 1753.71 -0.33

Manila 7332.17 8558.42 -14.33

Jakarta 5874.299 6355.654 -7.57

Kuala Lumpur 1794.47 1796.81 -0.13

Ho Chi Minh 1010.74 984.24 2.69

(Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)