(Corrects 2nd bullet and 8th paragraph to say Singapore
manufacturing output expected to slow, not contract)
* Philippine bourse falls as much as 1.3%
* SG Nov manufacturing output expected to slow - Reuters
poll
* Most Southeast Asian stock markets set to post gains in
2019
By Sameer Manekar
Dec 26 (Reuters) - Philippine shares retreated on Thursday
after two sessions of sharp gains, while financials dragged the
Singapore benchmark lower ahead of manufacturing data due later
in the day.
Trading in most Southeast Asian markets, however, was below
a third of their 30-day average volume as traders settled in for
year-end holidays.
The Manila bourse .PSI fell 0.7%, the most in the region,
weighed down by banking and real estate stocks.
Financial markets in the Philippines were closed on Tuesday
and Wednesday, but the index gained almost 3% in the previous
two trading sessions.
Real estate firms SM Prime Holdings SMPH.PS and Ayala Land
ALI.PS fell 1.2% and 1.7%, respectively, while BDO Unibank
BDO.PS lost as much as 1.6%.
Singapore's benchmark index .STI was on course to snap
three straight sessions of gains, hurt by weakness in blue-chip
banking stocks.
Southeast Asia's biggest lender DBS Group Holdings DBSM.SI
slid as much as 0.7%.
The trade-reliant city-state's manufacturing output in
November is expected to slow from a year earlier, according to a
Reuters poll, after unexpectedly rising in October.
Markets were pensive even as U.S. President Donald Trump
said on Tuesday he and Chinese President Xi Jinping will sign
the first phase of the trade deal agreed to this month.
Striking a cautious note, MIDF said it expects global market
uncertainty to persist and affect world trade activities in
2020.
"We view President Trump to cause further market uncertainty
in 2020 due to the presidential elections," the brokerage said.
Thai equities .SETI were marginally higher on the back of
gains in energy and industrial firms.
PTT Exploration and Production PTTEP.BK and Airports of
Thailand AOT.BK rose 0.8% and 0.7%, respectively.
Indonesian shares .JKSE were set for their third straight
session of gains, lifted by financials and consumer stocks.
Bank Central Asia BBCA.JK rose as much as 0.5%, while
Unilever Indonesia UNVR.JK gained 1.4%.
Malaysia's benchmark index .KLSE was little changed, while
Vietnam stocks .VNI declined.
For Asian Companies click;
SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS AS AT 0332 GMT
Market Current Previous close Pct Move
Singapore 3209.51 3221.67 -0.38
Bangkok 1575.84 1573 0.18
Manila 7817 7872.6 -0.71
Jakarta 6316.778 6305.91 0.17
Kuala Lumpur 1604.68 1604.23 0.03
Ho Chi Minh 959.6 960.92 -0.14
Change so far in 2019
Market Current End 2018 Pct Move
Singapore 3209.51 3068.76 4.59
Bangkok 1575.84 1563.88 0.76
Manila 7817 7,466.02 4.70
Jakarta 6316.778 6,194.50 1.97
Kuala Lumpur 1604.68 1690.58 -5.08
Ho Chi Minh 959.6 892.54 7.51