EM ASIA FX-Rupiah leads Asia FX weakness in holiday-thinned trade

* Rupiah down on importers' dollar bids

* Ringgit tracks weaker NDFs, 200-day average may support

(Adds text, updates prices)

By Jongwoo Cheon

SINGAPORE, April 21 (Reuters) - Most emerging Asian

currencies eased on Monday as the dollar stayed firm after

upbeat U.S. economic data and on caution over tensions in

Ukraine, while trading in the region was subdued with some

global markets still closed for the Easter holiday.

The Indonesian rupiah underperformed regional units

on month-end corporate dollar demand, traders said.

The dollar rose against a basket of six major

currencies after U.S. data showing new claims for benefits

stayed around their pre-recession levels last week and

manufacturing in the Mid-Atlantic region accelerated in April.

Asian shares edged lower amid sustained tensions in Ukraine.

At least three people were killed in a gunfight in the early

hours of Sunday near a Ukrainian city controlled by pro-Russian

separatists.

Still, some analysts said emerging Asian currencies are

unlikely to extend their declines much as regional exports may

benefit from strength in the U.S. economy.

"It may be good to add emerging Asian currencies positions

little by little on dips," said Yuna Park, a currency and bond

analyst at Dongbu Securities in Seoul.

"Sentiment on emerging markets is reviving and I don't see

strong momentum for the dollar."

RUPIAH

The rupiah eased on dollar demand from local importers for

month-end payments, traders said.

The official Jakarta Interbank Spot Dollar Rate (JISDOR),

which Indonesia's central bank launched last year in an effort

to manage exchange rate fluctuations, was fixed at 11,430 rupiah

per dollar, weaker than the previous session's 11,418.

Currency investors almost ignored the central bank's

expectations that inflation in April may slow down to a 7.2

percent rise year-on-year.

RINGGIT

The ringgit fell in thin trading, tracking its weakness in

non-deliverable forwards.

Higher U.S. Treasury yields after healthy U.S. data may put

further pressure on the ringgit, but it may find support around

a 200-day moving average at 3.2506 per dollar, traders said.

A senior Malaysian bank trader in Kuala Lumpur said he would

add short ringgit positions only when the ringgit weakens past

3.2600.

"There is no more risk aversion now. Ukraine is history,"

said the trader.

CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR

Change on the day at 0435 GMT

Currency Latest bid Previous day Pct Move

Japan yen 102.55 102.45 -0.10

Sing dlr 1.2520 1.2529 +0.07

Taiwan dlr 30.230 30.230 +0.00

Korean won 1037.80 1037.40 -0.04

Baht 32.23 32.18 -0.16

Peso 44.42 44.43 +0.03

Rupiah 11437.00 11415.00 -0.19

Rupee 60.36 60.29 -0.12

Ringgit 3.2465 3.2405 -0.18

Yuan 6.2253 6.2242 -0.02

Change so far in 2014

Currency Latest bid End prev year Pct Move

Japan yen 102.55 105.28 +2.66

Sing dlr 1.2520 1.2632 +0.89

Taiwan dlr 30.230 29.950 -0.93

Korean won 1037.80 1055.40 +1.70

Baht 32.23 32.86 +1.95

Peso 44.42 44.40 -0.05

Rupiah 11437.00 12160.00 +6.32

Rupee 60.36 61.80 +2.38

Ringgit 3.2465 3.2755 +0.89

Yuan 6.2253 6.0539 -2.75

(Editing by Chris Gallagher)