SE Asia Stocks-Mostly up; Malaysia gains for 9th session

* Thailand ends at 1-month high

* Indonesia erases gains after cenbank decision

By Karthika Suresh Namboothiri

July 19 (Reuters) - Singapore marked its highest close in

over three weeks on Thursday and Malaysia extended gains into a

ninth session as positive earnings from Wall Street and the

Federal Reserve chairman's view on the U.S. economy buoyed

investor sentiment.

Markets in Asia found support after Jerome Powell reiterated

that the U.S. economy was healthy, even though he warned that

rising world protectionism would over time pose a risk to global

economic expansion.

Singapore shares extended gains for a third session,

ending 1.1 percent higher at 3,277.58, its highest close since

June 26, led by banks.

DBS Group Holdings rose 0.9 percent and United

Overseas Bank Ltd advanced 1.5 percent.

Financials boosted the Malaysian index with Malayan

Banking Bhd up 2.2 percent, while Public Bank Bhd

gained 0.8 percent.

Thai stocks closed at a one-month high with Airports

of Thailand up 3.3 percent and Siam Commercial Bank

gaining 1.2 percent ahead of its quarterly earnings.

Indonesian shares erased early gains to close lower,

after the central bank governor said Bank Indonesia remains

hawkish although it kept the benchmark interest rate unchanged.

The rupiah slipped to its lowest since October 2015,

after the decision at the policy meeting.

Telekomunikasi Indonesia closed 2.5 percent lower,

and Unilever Indonesia was down 2.2 percent.

An index of the country's 45 most liquid stocks

shed 0.6 percent.

Philippine shares closed 0.9 percent lower with

financials leading the falls.

The index has been on a rally for the past two weeks, and

investors are resorting to profit-taking, said Charles William

Ang, associate analyst at COL Financial Group.

Ayala Corp fell 3 percent and SM Prime Holdings

declined 1.2 percent.

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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Change on the day

Market Current Previous close Pct Move

Singapore 3277.58 3240.5 1.14

Bangkok 1646.89 1635.85 0.67

Manila 7387.87 7451.37 -0.85

Jakarta 5871.077 5890.731 -0.33

Kuala Lumpur 1759.24 1753.07 0.35

Ho Chi Minh 943.97 942.39 0.17

Change on year

Market Current End 2017 Pct Move

Singapore 3277.58 3402.92 -3.68

Bangkok 1646.89 1753.71 -6.09

Manila 7387.87 8558.42 -13.68

Jakarta 5871.077 6355.654 -7.62

Kuala Lumpur 1759.24 1796.81 -2.09

Ho Chi Minh 943.97 984.24 -4.09

(Reporting by Karthika Suresh Namboothiri in Bengaluru;

Additional reporting by Nikhil Nainan; Editing by Sunil Nair)