SE Asia Stocks-Tepid as investors await US data for hints on Fed rate hike

By Geo Tharappel

Aug 30 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets closed

lower on Tuesday as investors continued to digest hawkish

comments from U.S. Federal Reserve officials last week.

Fed Chair Janet Yellen said on Friday the case for a rate

hike was strengthening, but provided little detail on when it

would next move.

Traders now await the August payrolls report due on Friday,

which is likely to miss expectations, for further clues on the

U.S. economy.

"There is a good chance that the rate hike will happen in

December, rather than in September," said Mikey Macainag, an

analyst with Philippines-based Sunsecurities Inc.

"But if the U.S. payrolls data is good, we can expect the

rate hike in September... There is going to be a continuation of

this bull market."

Philippine shares fell for a fifth consecutive

session, led by telcos including sector heavyweight PLDT Inc

.

With most of the catalysts like earnings and GDP numbers

already out and the absence of any market-stealing development,

stocks are in a correction phase, said Manny Cruz, an analyst

with Asiasec Equities Inc in Manila.

Vietnam shares extended gains into a third straight

session, helped by energy stocks including Petrovietnam Gas

Joint Stock Corp as global crude prices rose on

production suspensions in the U.S. Gulf due to an expected

tropical storm and speculation that producers meeting in Algeria

next month will act to prop up prices.

Thai shares eked out marginal gains, shrugging off

disappointing July manufacturing output data.

Asian shares outside Japan gained 0.6

percent, recovering around half of Monday's loss.

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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

STOCK MARKETS

Change on day

Market Current Previous close Pct Move

Singapore 2828.39 2829.43 -0.04

Bangkok 1546.13 1544.15 0.13

Manila 7794.93 7845.49 -0.64

Jakarta 5362.316 5370.764 -0.16

Kuala Lumpur 1678.06 1681.6 -0.21

Ho Chi Minh 672.67 669.44 0.48

Change this year

Market Current End 2015 Pct Move

Singapore 2828.39 2882.73 -1.89

Bangkok 1546.13 1288.02 20.04

Manila 7794.93 6952.08 12.12

Jakarta 5362.316 4593.008 16.75

Kuala Lumpur 1678.06 1692.51 -0.85

Ho Chi Minh 672.67 579.03 16.17

(Reporting by Geo Tharappel; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)