* Graphic: World FX rates http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
* Graphic: Foreign flows into Asian stocks https://tmsnrt.rs/3f2vwbA
* Taiwan dollar heads for best day in more than four months
* Jakarta shares subdued as mutated virus strain found
By Shashwat Awasthi
August 31 (Reuters) - Emerging Asian currencies rose on Monday as quickening growth in
China's services sector supported recovery prospects in the region and added to positive
sentiment around the U.S. Federal Reserve's accommodative stance last week.
Taiwan's dollar TWD=TP was set for its best day since March 20 while the Thai baht
TBH=TH and Indonesia's rupiah IDR= also firmed by 0420 GMT, with investors taking a liking
to the Fed's new strategy favouring higher inflation and growth.
The historic shift in the U.S. central bank's stance is being interpreted as signalling
lower interest rates over a long period of time - a view held by Mizuho analysts, who say this
may correspond to a softer greenback.
"A weaker USD and asset market boost from 'lower for longer rates' are likely to be positive
for EM Asia FX and assets," they said, but warned that any sustained steepening of the U.S.
Treasury yield curve could be a significant headwind.
With little domestic news to drive moves, the market focused on China's service sector
activity which expanded at a much faster pace in August although factory growth was slower due
to floods. Thai shares .SETI and trade-reliant Singapore stocks .STI added 0.4% and 0.3%,
respectively.
Stocks in Indonesia .JKSE eased as much as 0.2% before trading flat, as a more infectious
mutation of the new coronavirus was found in the country and daily new infections remained above
the past month's daily average. With markets in Malaysia and the Philippines shut for a holiday, dealers looked ahead to
speeches this week from Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Richard Clarida and others before making
further bets.
"It is likely that investors will still be looking for more colour on the implementation and
timing of forward guidance," Morgan Stanley analysts said of the upcoming addresses.
"Unless these upcoming speeches provide significant incremental colour versus what was
already revealed during the Jackson Hole symposium, we would not expect them to have a
meaningful impact on emerging market currencies."
HIGHLIGHTS:
** Thailand's 10-year government bond yields are down 3 basis points at 1.43%
** Top gainers on Thailand's SETI .SETI include Max Metal Corporation MAX.BK up 100%,
Luxury Real Estate Investment Fund LUXFu.BK up 12% and Ingress Industrial Thailand INGRS.BK
up 11.4%
** Top gainers on the Singapore STI .STI include Capitaland Mall Trust CMLT.SI up 2.6%,
SATS Ltd SATS.SI up 1.7% and DBS Group DBSM.SI up 1.3%
Asia stock indexes and currencies at 0422 GMT
COUNTRY FX RIC FX DAILY % FX YTD % INDEX STOCKS DAILY % STOCKS YTD %
Japan JPY= -0.23 +2.87 .N225 1.74 -1.59
China CNY=CFXS +0.23 +1.67 .SSEC 0.80 12.48
India INR=IN +0.00 -2.73 .NSEI 1.08 -3.24
Indonesia IDR= +0.50 -4.56 .JKSE -0.11 -15.22
Malaysia MYR= 0.00 -1.78 .KLSE 0.00 -4.00
Philippines PHP= 0.00 +4.67 .PSI 0.00 -24.71
S.Korea KRW=KFTC +0.12 -2.24 .KS11 -0.46 6.62
Singapore SGD= -0.06 -1.05 .STI 0.36 -20.91
Taiwan TWD=TP -0.07 +1.91 .TWII -0.55 5.52
Thailand THB=TH +0.39 -3.61 .SETI 0.37 -15.92