SE Asia Stocks-Most recover; Singapore falls about 1 pct

* Thailand gains for fifth straight session

* Malaysia posts over 1-1/2-mth closing high

By Shreya Mariam Job

Jan 22 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets

recovered from early falls to close higher on Tuesday as

investors moved past a cut in global growth forecast by the

International Monetary Fund.

The IMF predicted the global economy to grow at 3.5 percent

in 2019 and 3.6 percent in 2020, down 0.2 and 0.1 percentage

point respectively from last October's forecasts, in its World

Economic Outlook report released on Monday.

"We do not believe investors are likely to overreact, given

softening economic growth in China was well flagged by investors

as well as a slowdown in global growth," said Taye Shim, head of

research at Mirae Asset Sekuritas, referring to the IMF

forecast.

Thai shares were the top performers in Southeast

Asia, extending gains into a fifth session on healthcare and

energy stocks.

Attributing the rise mainly to Bangkok Dusit Medical

Services PCL, Teerada Charnyingyong, an analyst with

Phillip Capital Thailand, said, "The major event is the

government has been trying to control medical services and

medicine prices, and it seems that the companies are proofing

their principles… I think investors interpret it as good news."

Shares of Bangkok Dusit Medical, Thailand's largest hospital

operator, climbed 5.1 percent, the most since June 20, 2018.

Malaysian shares climbed for a third straight

session and closed at their highest in more than one-and-a-half

months.

Among top contributors, Axiata Group rose 1.5

percent to an over three-month closing high, while CIMB Group

Holdings Bhd added 1.8 percent.

Among losers, Singapore shares fell nearly 1 percent,

hurt by telecommunication and financial stocks.

Conglomerate Keppel Corp dropped 2.1 percent,

mobile operator M1 Ltd dipped 1 percent and Singapore

Press Holdings declined 0.4 percent.

Earlier in the day, Keppel and Singapore Press Holdings said

they would not raise their offer price to gain majority control

of M1 Ltd, a move that could put pressure on Axiata Group

, M1's single largest shareholder.

Financials also declined with DBS Group Holdings Ltd

and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Ltd

shedding 1.8 percent and 2 percent, respectively.

Meanwhile, the city-state is expected to release inflation

data for December on Wednesday. A Reuters poll showed the

headline consumer price index probably rose to 0.4 percent in

December from a year earlier.

Vietnam shares fell after the previous session's

sharp gains, dragged by financial and real estate stocks.

Vietnam National Petroleum Group fell 3.3 percent,

while Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Viet Nam

dropped 1.1 percent.

For Asian Companies click;

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Change on the day

Market Current Previous close Pct Move

Singapore 3192.71 3220.56 -0.86

Bangkok 1601.77 1588.38 0.84

Manila 8008.67 8007.46 0.02

Jakarta 6468.562 6450.834 0.27

Kuala Lumpur 1702.12 1692.22 0.59

Ho Chi Minh 906.55 911.05 -0.49

Change so far in 2019

Market Current End 2018 Pct Move

Singapore 3192.71 3068.76 4.04

Bangkok 1601.77 1563.88 2.42

Manila 8008.67 7,466.02 7.27

Jakarta 6468.562 6,194.50 4.42

Kuala Lumpur 1702.12 1690.58 0.68

Ho Chi Minh 906.55 892.54 1.57

(Reporting by Shreya Mariam Job in Bengaluru; Editing by

Subhranshu Sahu)