EM ASIA FX-Asian currencies fall broadly ahead of U.S. jobs data

(Adds text, updates prices)

* Singapore dollar at 6-year low, baht lowest in nearly 9

years

* Mixed weekly performance for Asian currencies

* Bearish Asia FX bets mostly higher in last 2 weeks - poll

* But sentiment less bearish in yuan and rupee

By Masayuki Kitano

SINGAPORE, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Asian currencies fell broadly

on Friday, with the focus on whether U.S. jobs data will bolster

expectations for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates

later this year.

The Singapore dollar hit a six-year low of 1.4366

against the U.S. dollar, weighed down by increasing expectations

for Singapore's central bank to ease its exchange-rate based

monetary policy later this month.

The Thai baht slipped to its lowest level in nearly

nine years. The Malaysian ringgit led the losses on the

day, falling around 0.9 percent against the dollar.

The dollar is likely to stay firm against emerging Asian

currencies ahead of the U.S. jobs data, said Christopher Wong,

senior FX analyst for Maybank in Singapore.

"I still think dollar/Asia remains a buy," Wong said, adding

that the dollar could gain a lift on the back of Fed tightening

expectations if U.S. jobs data due later on Friday comes in

stronger than expected.

A weak outcome, on the other hand, could add to worries

about growth prospects for emerging market economies and weigh

on Asian currencies, he said.

While emerging Asian currencies were broadly lower on the

day, their weekly performance has been mixed.

Weekly gains have been led by the South Korean won, Indian

rupee, and Taiwan dollar. Losses for the week have been led by

the Malaysian ringgit and Thai baht.

THAI BAHT

The baht touched a low of 36.68 versus the dollar,

its lowest level since December 2006. For the week, the baht is

down more than 1 percent.

"With no convincing signs of regional economic recovery, and

with the prospects of a hard landing in China increasing daily,

one can only assume a test of 37.00 is in the offing," said

Stephen Innes, senior trader for FX broker OANDA in Singapore.

SOUTH KOREAN WON

Although the won retreated on Friday, the South Korean

currency is still up about 0.9 percent against the dollar for

the week.

The won has been supported this week by the unwinding of

long dollar positions and dollar-selling by South Korean

exporters, traders said.

MARKET POSITIONING

A Reuters survey showed that investors increased bearish

bets on most emerging Asian currencies in the last two weeks

after Federal Reserve officials kept open the possibility of an

interest rate hike in 2015 and as worries of a global economic

slowdown lingered.

Investors, however, trimmed bearish bets against the Chinese

yuan and the Indian rupee, the survey

showed.

CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR

Change on the day at 0540 GMT

Currency Latest bid Previous day Pct Move

Japan yen 119.96 119.91 -0.04

Sing dlr 1.4356 1.4304 -0.36

Taiwan dlr 32.952 33.080 +0.39

Korean won 1184.10 1176.30 -0.66

Baht 36.64 36.41 -0.63

Peso 46.77 46.76 -0.02

Rupiah 14690.00 14665.00 -0.17

Rupee* 65.51 65.51 +0.00

Ringgit 4.4400 4.4005 -0.89

Yuan* 6.3571 6.3571 +0.00

Change so far

in 2015

Currency Latest bid End prev year Pct Move

Japan yen 119.96 119.66 -0.25

Sing dlr 1.4356 1.3260 -7.63

Taiwan dlr 32.952 31.718 -3.74

Korean won 1184.10 1099.30 -7.16

Baht 36.64 32.90 -10.21

Peso 46.77 44.72 -4.38

Rupiah 14690.00 12380.00 -15.72

Rupee 65.51 63.03 -3.79

Ringgit 4.4400 3.4965 -21.25

Yuan 6.3571 6.2040 -2.41

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*Indian markets are closed on Friday for a public holiday.

*China's stock, bond, foreign exchange and commodity futures

markets will be closed Oct. 1 to 7 for a national holiday.

(Additional reporting by Yena Park in SEOUL; Editing by

Jacqueline Wong)