SE Asia Stocks-Most edge lower ahead of Trump-Xi G20 meeting
* Philippines up for sixth consecutive session * Indonesia higher after 3 sessions of falls * Thai May factory output data misses forecast By Shreya Mariam Job June 25 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets slipped on Tuesday as investors refrained from taking any fresh positions ahead of key trade talks between presidents of the United States and China on the sidelines of a G20 summit this week. U.S. President Donald Trump views the meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping as a chance to see where Beijing stands on the trade war, and is "comfortable with any outcome" from the talks, a senior U.S. official said on Monday. "The most likely outcome is that both Trump and Xi will shake hands and agree to get back to the negotiation table, with no clear timeline or commitment for a trade 'deal'," Mizuho Bank said in a note. Thai stocks declined 0.4% on disappointing factory output data and ahead of a central bank policy decision on Wednesday. Factory output dropped 3.99% in May from a year earlier, dragged by lower production of cars and rubber products. That compared with a forecast of 0.1% fall in a Reuters poll, and against April's 2.03% gain. Meanwhile, the central bank is expected to keep benchmark policy rate steady for a fourth straight meeting, according to a Reuters poll, despite slowing growth and the way many Asian central banks have shifted toward easing policy. PTT PCL and Advanced Info Service PCL dropped 1% and 1.5%, respectively. Vietnam stocks dropped 0.2% with financials accounting for most of the decline. Indonesian shares gained 0.5% after three consecutive sessions of losses, boosted by consumer and financial stocks. A surprise trade surplus in May spurred hopes for improvements in the country's trade outlook despite the damaging Sino-U.S. trade war. Telekomunikasi Indonesia and Unilever Indonesia Tbk Pt gained 0.8% and 1.3%, respectively. Philippine stocks edged up, heading for a sixth straight sessions of gains. Industrials and financials were among the top performers with SM Investments Corp and BDO Unibank Inc rising 0.4% and 0.7%, respectively. For Asian Companies click; SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS As at 0336 GMT Change on the day Market Current Previous close Pct Move Singapore 3309.14 3311.53 -0.07 Bangkok 1709.31 1716 -0.39 Manila 8068.01 8060.58 0.09 Jakarta 6322.402 6288.465 0.54 Kuala Lumpur 1674.79 1676.13 -0.08 Ho Chi Minh 960.55 962.85 -0.24 Change so far in 2019 Market Current End 2018 Pct Move Singapore 3309.14 3068.76 7.83 Bangkok 1709.31 1563.88 9.30 Manila 8068.01 7,466.02 8.06 Jakarta 6322.402 6,194.50 2.06 Kuala Lumpur 1674.79 1690.58 -0.93 Ho Chi Minh 960.55 892.54 7.62 (Reporting by Shreya Mariam Job in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
