* Graphic: World FX rates http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
* Graphic: Foreign flows into Asian stocks https://tmsnrt.rs/3f2vwbA
* Jakarta stocks track best day in nearly 2 weeks
* Singapore stocks, Thai baht snap 3-day losing run
By Shashwat Awasthi
July 21 (Reuters) - Philippine stocks slipped on Tuesday as
a surge in local coronavirus cases gnawed at investor sentiment,
while most other emerging Asian markets found support from
promising data for three potential COVID-19 vaccines.
Indonesian and Thai stocks .JKSE .SETI rebounded after
Monday's drop, adding roughly 1% each, with the flood of capital
searching for higher yields globally overcoming fears about
rising coronavirus infections and political uncertainty in
Bangkok.
Hopes that the early print from the vaccine trials meant an
effective tool against the virus was on the way, and news of a
European deal on a massive stimulus plan, led dealers away from
the U.S. dollar towards perceived riskier assets. Taiwan's dollar TWD=TP and South Korea's won KRW=KFTC
outshone peers, their respective share markets .TWII .KS11
climbed 2% and 1.5%, and other assets across most of the region
traded higher.
Stocks in Singapore .STI rose half a percent after three
straight sessions of losses.
Manila's benchmark share index .PSI missed out on broader
gains after the country on Monday reported more than a thousand
new coronavirus infections for a fifth straight day.
The index, which has already shed more than a fifth of its
value so far this year, gave up as much as 0.8%. The peso PHP=
was roughly unchanged.
"The market is still weak despite the government's
announcement today that it is not keen on imposing stricter
quarantine measures in the capital and upbeat sentiment from
vaccine prospects and stimulus across Asia," said Jennifer Mae
V. Lomboy, a fixed income fund manager at First Metro Asset
Management.
Investors were likely to remain on the sidelines ahead of
next Monday's State of the Nation address by President Rodrigo
Duterte, she said.
In Thailand, Labour Minister Chatumongol Sonakul on Monday
became the sixth minister to quit Prime Minister Prayuth
Chan-ocha's government since last week, while protests against
the government and the army ramped up. Maybank analysts said these developments may continue to
pose drags on the baht, and suggested a recovery in the currency
may be constrained for now.
The baht THB= still snapped a three-day losing streak to
rise 0.3%.
HIGHLIGHTS:
** Malaysia's 10-year benchmark yield is down 1.3 basis
points at 2.732%
** Top gainers on Thailand's SETI .SETI include Thai Film
Industries TFI.BK up 20%, TWZ Corporation TWZ.BK up 16.67%
and B-52 Capital PCL B52.BK up 12.5%
** Top gainers on the Jakarta stock index .JKSE include
Indofarma Tbk INAF.JK up 23.65%, Kimia Farma Tbk KAEF.JK up
23.64% and Pelat Timah Nusantara Tbk NIKL.JK up 18.18%
Asia stock indexes and currencies at 0357 GMT
COUNTRY FX RIC FX DAILY % FX YTD % INDEX STOCKS DAILY % STOCKS YTD %
Japan JPY= +0.02 +1.30 .N225 0.60 -3.40
China CNY=CFXS -0.02 -0.43 .SSEC 0.07 8.74
India INR=IN -0.24 -4.73 .NSEI 0.94 -8.57
Indonesia IDR= +0.07 -5.58 .JKSE 0.88 -19.11
Malaysia MYR= +0.05 -4.01 .KLSE 0.42 0.47
Philippines PHP= -0.01 +2.73 .PSI -0.31 -21.54
S.Korea KRW=KFTC +0.47 -3.44 .KS11 1.51 1.54
Singapore SGD= -0.12 -3.30 .STI 0.44 -18.47
Taiwan TWD=TP +0.49 +2.33 .TWII 1.89 3.39
Thailand THB=TH +0.22 -5.71 .SETI 1.07 -13.11