SE Asia Stocks-Philippines extends losses; Thailand posts best mth in 1-1/2 yrs

* Philippines sheds 1.6 pct, retreating further from record

* Asian shares ex-Japan on course for best month since March

2016

* Vietnam marks fifth consecutive monthly gain

By Karthika Suresh Namboothiri

Jan 31 (Reuters) - Philippine shares extended losses to a

second session on Wednesday, pulling further away from an

all-time high hit earlier this week, while Thailand ended

steady, marking its best month in 1-1/2 years.

Asian stocks steadied after sliding on rising global bond

yields, with MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares

outside Japan on course for a 6.6 percent

monthly gain, its biggest since March 2016.

However, the U.S. Federal Reserve's monetary policy

statement due later in the day kept investors on guard.

"Bond yields in the U.S. are rising, so there is a shift in

funds from emerging markets back to the U.S," said Lexter Azurin

from AB Capital Securities.

Foreign Institutional Investor (FII) net outflows for

Philippines was $39.4 million on Tuesday, while Indonesia

recorded $88.9 million net outflows. Thailand's net outflows

stood at $81 million in the previous session.

Philippine shares ended 1.6 percent lower, after the

previous session's 1.6 percent drop, as industrials fell, with

SM Investment Corp shedding 6 percent.

The index, however, climbed 2.4 percent in January, its

second straight monthly gain.

Thai shares ended flat, but rose 4.2 percent this

month, its best since July 2016.

Energy stocks PTT Pcl and PTT Exploration and

Production PCL gained 1.6 percent each after Royal

Dutch Shell said it would sell its Bongkot gas field

stake to PTT Exploration & Production for $750 million before

tax.

Meanwhile, data showed Thai private consumption contracted

in December from the previous month while investment rose

slightly, implying that a recovery in Southeast Asia's

second-largest economy is still patchy.

Indonesian shares firmed 0.5 percent, bringing the

monthly gain to 3.9 percent after December's 6.8 percent surge.

Lender PT Bank Pan Indonesia climbed to a record

close, while Telekom Indonesia finished 2.3 percent

higher.

The index of the country's 45 most liquid stocks

ended 0.2 percent higher.

Singapore shares closed 0.4 percent lower, with

heavyweight Keppel Corp shedding 1.1 percent.

The index, however, gained 3.9 percent this month after a

0.9 percent decline in December.

Vietnam shares finished flat, marking a fifth

consecutive monthly gain, with Petrovietnam Gas Joint Stock

rising to a three-year closing high.

Malaysia was closed for a public holiday.

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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Change on the day

Market Current Previous close Pct Move

Singapore 3533.99 3548.74 -0.42

Bangkok 1826.86 1826.61 0.01

Manila 8764.01 8910.48 -1.64

Jakarta 6605.631 6575.492 0.46

Ho Chi Minh 1110.36 1110.56 -0.02

Change on year

Market Current End 2017 Pct Move

Singapore 3533.99 3402.92 3.85

Bangkok 1826.86 1753.71 4.17

Manila 8764.01 8558.42 2.40

Jakarta 6605.631 6355.654 3.93

Ho Chi Minh 1110.36 984.24 12.81

(Reporting by Karthika Suresh Namboothiri; Additional reporting

by Gaurav S. Dogra; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri)