SE Asia Stocks-Singapore rises nearly 1 pct, Philippines drops

* Singapore rises to near one-month high

* Philippines down after 2 sessions of gains

By Shreya Mariam Job

April 1 (Reuters) - Singapore shares rose nearly 1 percent

on Monday, outperforming other Southeast Asian markets, as

positive Chinese factory gauges and signs of progress in

Sino-U.S. trade talks boosted investor sentiment, while

Philippines stocks declined after two straight sessions of

gains.

China's manufacturing sector unexpectedly returned to growth

for the first time in four months in March, in a sign that

government stimulus measures may be slowly gaining traction, a

private business survey showed.

Singapore's benchmark stock index gained as much as

0.9 percent to its highest since March 6, boosted by technology

and utility stocks.

City Development Ltd and Hutchison Port Holdings

Trust gained the most, rising 2.5 percent and 2.3

percent, respectively.

Thai stocks rose 0.6 percent, supported by energy

and healthcare stocks. PTT Pcl firmed 0.5 percent and

Bangkok Dusit Medical Services Pcl added 1.8 percent.

Thailand's annual headline consumer price index rose 1.24

percent in March, beating a 0.93 percent rise forecast in a

Reuters poll, and compared with February's 0.73 percent

increase, commerce ministry data showed.

The headline inflation rate was the highest since September

2018 and was within the central bank's target range of 1-4

percent after staying below that for four consecutive months.

Meanwhile, Philippine stocks were the top losers in

Southeast Asia with a drop of 0.8 percent.

Commodity prices may rise amid signs of a recovery in the

Chinese economy, and a major rise in oil and commodity prices

would affect the Philippines as it is a net importer of energy,

said Rachelle C Cruz, an analyst with AP Securities.

Ayala Corp dropped 1.2 percent, while BDO Unibank

Inc shed 1.3 percent.

Indonesian shares declined marginally, dragged by

telecom and financial stocks.

Indonesia's annual inflation rate slowed a touch more than

expected in March to slip below the central bank's target range

for the first time in three years, official data showed.

Telekomunikasi Indonesia and Bank Central Asia Tbk

Pt slipped 0.8 percent and 0.9 percent, respectively.

For Asian Companies click;

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS As at 0433 GMT

Change on the day

Market Current Previous close Pct Move

Singapore 3239.05 3212.88 0.81

Bangkok 1648.94 1638.65 0.63

Manila 7860.8 7920.93 -0.76

Jakarta 6458.542 6468.755 -0.16

Kuala Lumpur 1635.56 1643.63 -0.49

Ho Chi Minh 982.91 980.76 0.22

Change so far in 2019

Market Current End 2018 Pct Move

Singapore 3239.05 3068.76 5.55

Bangkok 1648.94 1563.88 5.44

Manila 7860.8 7,466.02 5.29

Jakarta 6458.542 6,194.50 4.26

Kuala Lumpur 1635.56 1690.58 -3.25

Ho Chi Minh 982.91 892.54 10.13

(Reporting by Shreya Mariam Job in Bengaluru; Editing by

Subhranshu Sahu)