SE Asia Stocks-Philippines hits 3-1/2-month low; Singapore slips further

* Thailand gains over 1 pct, Singapore down for 5th session

* Philippine trade gap stays above $3 bln for 5th month in

Aug

By Niyati Shetty

Oct 10 (Reuters) - Philippine shares fell 1 percent to a

three-and-a-half-month low on Wednesday after data showed a

persistently wide trade gap for August, while Singapore stocks

extended losses into a fifth session.

Investor sentiment took a hit after the International

Monetary Fund said risks to the global financial system could

increase sharply if pressures in emerging markets escalate or

global trade relations deteriorate further.

New IMF research also shows emerging market countries

excluding China could face debt portfolio outflows of up to $100

billion, a level last seen during the 2008 global financial

crisis.

The Philippine stock index declined for a fourth

session in five and breached the 7,000 level for the first time

since June 27.

"Being an export-oriented country, a slowdown in projected

global growth is going to affect the external segment of our

economy which is mostly exports and services," said Jose Vistan,

research head at AB Capital Securities.

Data released earlier in the day showed trade deficit stayed

well above $3 billion for the fifth straight month in August,

with economists saying the wide trade gap will continue to

pressure the peso which has been stuck near 13-year lows against

the dollar.

Industrial and real estate stocks were the top losers, with

JG Summit Holdings sliding 2.1 percent and Ayala Land

declining 1.8 percent.

Singapore shares hit their lowest since Sept. 19,

ahead of the central bank's policy review on Friday where a slim

majority in a Reuters poll of economists predict a

tightening.

Financials were the top losers with DBS Group Holdings

shedding as much as 1.1 percent, while Oversea-Chinese

Banking Corporation slipped 0.6 percent.

Malaysian shares fell 1 percent, extending losses

into a sixth session, weighed down by Axiata Group and

Tenaga Nasional.

Meanwhile, Thai shares rose over 1 percent, boosted

by energy and financial stocks, after closing marginally higher

following a five-session losing streak.

Recent falls seem to have made Thai equities less expensive,

so some buying is seen from institutional investors, as well as

retail investors who look to invest long-term for tax benefits,

said Teerada Charnyingyong, an analyst with Phillip Capital

Thailand.

PTT PCL gained 2.4 percent, while PTT Exploration

and Production advanced 2.4 percent.

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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS AS AT 0427 GMT

Change on the day

Market Current Previous close Pct Move

Singapore 3142.43 3166.6 -0.76

Bangkok 1714.59 1696.92 1.04

Manila 7000.03 7059.38 -0.84

Jakarta 5803.544 5796.79 0.12

Kuala Lumpur 1757.11 1774.15 -0.96

Ho Chi Minh 996.79 996.19 0.06

Change on year

Market Current End 2017 Pct Move

Singapore 3142.43 3402.92 -7.65

Bangkok 1714.59 1753.71 -2.23

Manila 7000.03 8558.42 -18.21

Jakarta 5803.544 6355.654 -8.69

Kuala Lumpur 1757.11 1796.81 -2.21

Ho Chi Minh 996.79 984.24 1.28

(Reporting by Niyati Shetty in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu

Sahu)