* Philippine peso softer after GDP cut, ahead of rate
decision
* Indian rupee firms for sixth straight session
* Indonesian rupiah set to snap four sessions of gains
(Adds text, updates prices)
By Shreya Mariam Job
Dec 11 (Reuters) - Most Asian currencies slipped on
Wednesday as investors awaited clarity on whether scheduled U.S.
tariffs on Chinese goods will be imposed over the weekend.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that U.S. and
Chinese trade negotiators were planning for a delay of tariffs
set to be imposed on Dec. 15. However, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow suggested
that the tariffs are still on the table and that if negotiations
are not to the president's liking, the tariffs could take
effect. The South Korean won KRW=KFTC , which is heavily influenced
by trade news, weakened the most among Asian currencies with a
0.2% drop and was set to log its third consecutive session of
decline.
The Indonesian rupiah IDR= also slipped 0.2%, snapping
four straight sessions of strength.
"The primary risk to IDR comes from a larger emerging
sell-off if the trade war has to escalate again," said Mahesh
Sethuraman, deputy head of global sales trading at Saxo Capital
Markets.
Meanwhile, investors also await comments from the U.S.
Federal Reserve when it hands down its policy decision later in
the day, to gauge its future policy stance. The Fed is expected
to keep rates on hold at its meeting.
The Philippine central bank is also expected to keep rates
on hold at its policy review on Thursday.
The Philippine peso PHP= slipped 0.1% on Wednesday after
the government trimmed its medium term growth targets due to
rising uncertainties, including the U.S.-China trade war.
Meanwhile, the Indian rupee INR=IN firmed for a sixth
straight session strengthening 0.2% on the back of strong
corporate inflows.
KOREAN WON
The South Korean won is the worst performer among its Asian
peers so far this year, reacting to trade headlines that have
heightened risks for the trade-reliant economy.
Moreover, emerging noise from North Korea that it is running
out of patience on a deal with the United States has also raised
risks for the Korean economy, Sethuraman said.
The U.N. Security Council will meet on Wednesday, at the
request of the United States, over missile launches by North
Korea that could provoke a further escalation in geopolitical
tensions. Asia's fourth-largest economy is headed for the worst growth
in a decade even after two rate cuts and a big increase in
government spending.
CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR
Change on the day at 0547 GMT
Currency Latest bid Previous day Pct Move
Japan yen 108.730 108.7 -0.03
Sing dlr 1.360 1.3581 -0.10
Taiwan dlr 30.471 30.503 +0.11
Korean won 1194.000 1191.3 -0.23
Baht 30.304 30.3 -0.01
Peso 50.810 50.74 -0.14
Rupiah 14036.000 14005 -0.22
Rupee 70.800 70.92 +0.17
Ringgit 4.160 4.163 +0.07
Yuan 7.038 7.0335 -0.06
Change so far in 2019
Currency Latest bid End 2018 Pct Move
Japan yen 108.730 109.56 +0.76
Sing dlr 1.360 1.3627 +0.24
Taiwan dlr 30.471 30.733 +0.86
Korean won 1194.000 1115.70 -6.56
Baht 30.304 32.55 +7.41
Peso 50.810 52.47 +3.27
Rupiah 14036.000 14375 +2.42
Rupee 70.800 69.77 -1.45
Ringgit 4.160 4.1300 -0.72
Yuan 7.038 6.8730 -2.34