SE Asia Stocks-Most higher as U.S. rate fears ease; Philippines down

* Singapore sees best week in over 1 yr

* Vietnam top gainer on week

* Philippines worst performer year-to-date

Feb 23 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets closed

higher on Friday, in line with broader Asia, after comments from

Federal Reserve officials eased worries about faster rate hikes

in the United States.

St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said Thursday that

policymakers need to be careful not to increase rates too

quickly as that could slow the economy, while Dallas counterpart

Robert Kaplan said three rate increases in 2018 was a

"reasonable" base case.

E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 were trading 0.3

percent higher. The index took a hit on Wednesday after minutes

of the Fed's last meeting showed inflation would perk up,

possibly setting the stage for additional rate hikes.

Asia shares ex-Japan were up over 1 percent.

In Southeast Asia, financials drove Singapore shares

1.3 percent higher and the FTSE Straits Times Index ended the

week 2.6 percent firmer, its best in over one year.

United Overseas Bank Ltd rose 2 percent while DBS

Group Holdings and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation

Ltd climbed over 2 percent each to all-time closing

highs.

The city-state reported no consumer inflation in January,

for the first time since late 2016, due to lower accommodation

and private road transportation costs, data showed on Friday.

Vietnam shares marched 2.5 percent higher and were up

for a fourth session in five. Financials led the gains, with

Vietcombank climbing 6.9 percent to a record close.

The index ended the week 4.1 percent higher, and is the best

performer in the region so far this year, having gained 12.1

percent.

Thai and Indonesian shares rose 1.1 percent

and 0.4 percent, respectively, on broad-based buying.

However, Philippine shares fell 0.6 percent and

settled at their lowest since December 22 as industrials,

financials and real estate stocks lost ground.

Conglomerate JG Summit Holdings Inc was the biggest

drag, down 2.8 percent at its worst close since late-December.

The benchmark finished the week 1.7 percent lower and is the

only loser so far this year in the region.

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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Change on day

Market Current Previous close Pct Move

Singapore 3533.22 3488.46 1.28

Bangkok 1808.06 1788.63 1.09

Manila 8467.56 8515.57 -0.56

Jakarta 6619.804 6593.06 0.41

Kuala Lumpur 1861.5 1855.07 0.35

Ho Chi Minh 1102.85 1076.03 2.49

Change on year

Market Current End 2017 Pct Move

Singapore 3533.22 3402.92 3.83

Bangkok 1808.06 1753.71 3.10

Manila 8467.56 8558.42 -1.06

Jakarta 6619.804 6355.654 4.16

Kuala Lumpur 1861.5 1796.81 3.60

Ho Chi Minh 1102.85 984.24 12.05

(Reporting by Chris Thomas in Bengaluru; Editing by Vyas Mohan)