SE Asia Stocks-Most fall; Indonesia posts highest ever close

* Thailand, Singapore retreat from multi-year peaks

* Vietnam bounces back on robust China data

By Devika Syamnath

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

lower on Thursday, with Thailand and Singapore retreating from

multi-year highs, while Indonesia extended gains to post its

highest ever close.

Thailand's SET index climbed as much as 0.5 percent

to a record high before closing half a percent lower.

Financials and energy were the biggest losers. Siam

Commercial Bank slumped 3.1 percent, while PTT

shed 0.8 percent.

Singapore shares came off a more than 10-year high to

close 0.6 percent lower, dragged by financial and real estate

stocks.

Lenders United Overseas Bank and DBS Group

Holdings shed 1 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively.

Agribusiness firm Wilmar International dropped 2.2

percent.

Philippine shares cut early losses to close slightly

lower, with financials accounting for majority of the fall.

Ayala Corp dropped 2.4 percent after its unit Bank

of the Philippine Islands announced plans to raise up

to 50 billion pesos ($986 million) via a rights offering to

boost lending and support strategic initiatives.

Metrobank, the second largest Philippine lender in

asset terms, fell 0.5 percent after the company got the board's

approval to sell shares to existing stockholders.

Indonesia's Jakarta SE Composite Index closed 0.4

percent higher after rising as much as 0.6 percent to a life

high.

Financials and consumer staples led the gains. Bank Central

Asia added 1.9 percent and clove cigarette maker

Gudang Garam ended 1 percent higher.

Vietnam shares bounced back from early falls to end

1.5 percent higher, helped by financials and consumer staples.

China's economy grew faster than expected in the fourth

quarter from a year earlier, partly helped by a rebound in the

industrial sector.

China is one of the top importers of Vietnam products.

Vietcombank, the country's top lender by market

value, led the rise with a gain of 4.1 percent, while Vinamilk

rose 2.2 percent.

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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Change on day

Market Current Previous Pct Move

close

Singapore 3521.31 3541.91 -0.58

Bangkok 1819.32 1828.88 -0.52

Manila 8820.74 8848.99 -0.32

Jakarta 6472.666 6444.518 0.44

Kuala Lumpur 1821.6 1828.63 -0.38

Ho Chi Minh 1050.25 1034.69 1.50

Change on year

Market Current End 2017 Pct Move

Singapore 3521.31 3402.92 3.48

Bangkok 1819.32 1753.71 3.74

Manila 8820.74 8558.42 3.07

Jakarta 6472.666 6355.654 1.84

Kuala Lumpur 1821.6 1796.81 1.38

Ho Chi Minh 1050.25 984.24 6.71

(Reporting by Devika Syamnath in Bengaluru; Editing by

Subhranshu Sahu)