SE Asia Stocks-Philippines cautious ahead of Duterte's Japan visit

By Geo Tharappel

Oct 25 (Reuters) - Philippine shares snapped three sessions

of losses on Tuesday ahead of a key visit to Japan by President

Rodrigo Duterte, while other Southeast Asian stock markets were

flat to lower, in line with broader Asian peers.

Investor sentiment in the Philippines was also lifted after

Duterte softened his stance towards the U.S. and Secretary of

State John Kerry expressed confidence that both countries can

'work through' a period of confusion caused by Duterte's

anti-American rhetoric.

Duterte's delegation to Japan expects to bring home

private-sector deals worth around $2 billion, the BusinessWorld

daily reported online, citing Ramon M. Lopez, the Philippines'

trade secretary.

The Philippine index was up marginally, after earlier

rising 0.2 percent. Gains in financials and consumer cyclicals

stocks were offset by losses in utilities and consumer

non-cyclicals.

"It's basically trading sideways today...waiting for further

developments including the corporate and foreign visits of the

president, particularly Japan," said Manny Cruz, an analyst with

Manila-based Asiasec Securities.

Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co and BDO Unibank Inc

were the top gainers on the index, rising as much as

2.2 percent.

Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc was the biggest loser,

falling as much as 2.3 percent.

Vietnam shares extended losses for a fourth straight

session, falling as much as 1.1 percent to their lowest in two

weeks, dragged down by financials and energy stocks.

Malaysia was down 0.1 percent.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan

was flat.

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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

STOCK MARKETS

Change on day

Market Current Prev close Pct Move

Singapore 2858.25 2856.68 0.05

Bangkok 1499.43 1500.37 -0.06

Manila 7613.21 7609.31 0.05

Jakarta 5417.577 5420.998 -0.06

Kuala Lumpur 1675.34 1677.76 -0.14

Ho Chi Minh 674.41 678.02 -0.53

Change on year

Market Current End 2015 Pct Move

Singapore 2858.25 2882.73 -0.85

Bangkok 1499.43 1288.02 16.41

Manila 7613.21 6952.08 9.51

Jakarta 5417.577 4593.008 17.95

Kuala Lumpur 1675.34 1692.51 -1.01

Ho Chi Minh 674.41 579.03 16.47

(Reporting by Geo Tharappel in Bengaluru; Editing by Biju

Dwarakanath)