SE Asia Stocks-Most down on U.S. Fed rate hike concerns; Singapore up

BANGKOK, May 25 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock

markets fell on Monday, weighed down by renewed concerns about a

U.S. interest rate hike, but shares in Singapore eked out gains

amid selective buying ahead of inflation data for April.

Singapore's key index edged up 0.3 percent at

3,459.22. Shares of Hongkong Land Holdings and palm

plantation firm Wilmar International both climbed more

than 1 percent. They were among the top percentage gainers on

the index.

A Reuters poll showed Singapore's consumer price index in

April probably fell from a year earlier for the sixth straight

month, likely dragged down by lower housing

costs.

Shares in the city-state will likely trade in a tight range

with a lack of fresh factors given the long weekend in the

United States for the Memorial Day break, said broker NRA

Capital in a report.

Malaysia's key index fell 0.95 percent, hitting its

lowest since Jan. 22, led down by a 3.5 percent drop in shares

of Tenaga Nasional.

Stocks in Indonesia and the Philippines both

traded in negative territory, while MSCI's broadest index of

Asia Pacific shares outside Japan was little

changed.

Asian shares got off to a lacklustre start on Monday, after

rising inflation and a hawkish tone from the U.S. Federal

Reserve Chair rekindled expectations that the Fed is on track to

hike interest rates.

In Bangkok, the SET index was down 0.6 percent,

hovering near a one-week low.

Broker KGI Securities said concerns about a U.S. Fed rate

hike may weigh slightly on Asian equities and possibly slow the

recent strong inflows, while investors would focus on domestic

economic data.

"Some traders may also wait for Thai April economic data

i.e. exports/imports and domestic demand indices released this

week," KGI said in a report.

For Asian Companies click;

For South East Asia Hot Stock reports, click;

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Change at 0411 GMT

Market Current Prev Close Pct Move

Singapore 3459.22 3450.18 +0.26

Kuala Lumpur 1770.60 1787.50 -0.95

Bangkok 1515.55 1523.86 -0.55

Jakarta 7291.85 5315.15 -0.44

Manila 7772.63 7810.17 -0.48

Ho Chi Minh 561.44 561.82 -0.07

(Reporting by Viparat Jantraprap; Editing by Anand Basu)