SE Asia Stocks-Vietnam snaps 8 sessions of gains, investors eye U.S. Fed meeting

* Refiner Petrovietnam was biggest drag on the Vietnam index

* Singapore April retail sales down 0.2 pct m/m, up 0.4 pct

y/y

* N.Korea-U.S. to work towards Korean peninsula

denuclearisation

By Nicole Pinto

June 12 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets ended

lower on Tuesday, with Vietnam shares snapping eight sessions of

gains to close weaker, as investors took a cautious stance ahead

of an expected interest rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

The U.S. Federal Reserve is virtually guaranteed to announce

a hike in interest rates on Wednesday. In what could be the most

consequential rewrite of its policy statement in two-and-a-half

years, the Fed may signal how close it is to stopping its rate

hike cycle.

Indonesian markets were closed for Eid al-Fitr, while the

Philippines markets were closed for Independence Day on Tuesday.

Southeast Asian markets reacted calmly to the United

States-North Korea summit, where the leaders of both countries

pledged to work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean

peninsula, and Washington committed to providing security

guarantees to the Asian nation. The historic summit did not

impact prices on the markets.

Singapore shares shed previous session's gains to end

lower, pulled down by financial stocks.

Data released earlier in the day showed Singapore's retail

sales rose 0.4 percent from a year earlier, but fell 0.2 percent

from the previous month.

"Investors continue to reel from losses due to Hyflux's

debt restructuring," said Liu Jinshu, director of

research, NRA Capital, adding, "There are also talks that banks'

second-quarter results may be affected by Hyflux's debt

restructuring."

"Investors are likely to look for cues from the Federal

Reserve meeting this week. If they appear dovish ... the market

might just get dragged higher. Otherwise, we would probably have

to wait until the start of the second-quarter earnings season in

late July for more market participation," he added.

Vietnam shares snapped a winning streak to close 1.8

percent lower on broad-based losses. Oil and gas refiner

Petrovietnam Gas Joint Stock Corp, which ended 5.1

percent down, was the biggest drag on the index.

Malaysian shares extended declines to a third

session, weighed down by Malaysia's national electricity utility

Tenaga Nasional.

Bucking the trend, Thai shares posted gains for a

second session, underpinned by energy and consumer staple

stocks.

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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Change on the day

Current Previous Close Pct Move

Singapore 3430.69 3441.69 -0.32

Bangkok 1727.29 1723.11 0.24

Kuala Lumpur 1764.16 1775.8 -0.66

Ho Chi Minh 1020.76 1039.02 -1.76

Change on year

Market Current End 2017 Pct Move

Singapore 3430.69 3402.92 0.82

Bangkok 1727.29 1753.71 -1.51

Kuala Lumpur 1764.16 1796.81 -1.82

Ho Chi Minh 1020.76 984.24 3.71

(Reporting by Nicole Pinto; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)