EM ASIA FX-Rupiah leads Asia FX losses on firm dollar, China worries

* Rupiah falls on importers, NDFs, stocks

* Ringgit, Singapore dollar at 2-week low on weak yuan

* Philippine peso down on dollar-short covering

(Adds text, updates prices)

By Jongwoo Cheon

SINGAPORE, April 22 (Reuters) - The Indonesian rupiah led

declines among emerging Asian currencies on Tuesday with the

dollar holding firm and as worries about liquidity and earnings

in China hurt regional stocks.

The rupiah hit a near seven-week low on month-end

dollar demand from local importers and the currency's weakness

in non-deliverable forwards markets.

Malaysia's ringgit and the Singapore dollar

fell to their lowest in two weeks, tracking weakness in

the Chinese yuan. Both are often used as a proxy to

bet on a weaker or strong renminbi.

The dollar hovered near a two-week high against a

basket of six major currencies. Asia-Pacific shares outside

Japan failed to benefit from a Wall Street rally into a fifth

session due to worries about China.

"The dollar is getting a slight lift from yields and a

toppish euro/dollar on recent ECB rhetoric," said Andy Ji, Asian

currency strategist for Commonwealth Bank of Australia in

Singapore.

"As such, dollar/Asia should edge a little higher from here

but the recent trading range should still hold well, as long as

USD trend remains elusive," Ji added.

The euro has come under pressure as European Central Bank

officials have tried to talk the currency down on concerns that

its strength could derail the euro zone's economic recovery.

By contrast, the dollar has been bolstered as U.S. Treasury

yields have risen on more evidence of a recovery in the world's

top economy.

RUPIAH

The rupiah fell as much as 0.7 percent to 11,525 per dollar,

its weakest since March 6.

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 11,486 rupiah

per dollar, weaker than the previous session's 11,430.

Foreign banks and joint venture lenders, which are set up by

foreign and local banks, bought dollars.

Jakarta shares lost 0.6 percent, while most

Southeast Asian stocks reported some gains. Most Indonesian

government bond yields, especially longer-end ones,

rose.

The rupiah may weaken to 11,552, its 55-day moving average,

as it has broken minor support at 11,489, the 23.6 percent

Fibonacci retracement of its appreciation between late December

and March, analysts said.

A Jakarta-based currency trader said he was looking to add

dollar positions on market talk of increasing dollar demand

linked to dividend payments in April and May.

The rupiah may see even 11,700 in the next month due to

repatriation, the trader added.

RINGGIT

The ringgit fell as much as 0.4 percent to 3.2635 per

dollar, its softest since April 8, amid a lack of month-end

demand from Malaysian exporters.

The Malaysian currency also fell versus the Singapore dollar

, down 0.4 percent at 2.6023.

The ringgit is seen securing chart support at 3.2655 to the

greenback, the 38.2 percent retracement of its appreciation

between January and April.

SINGAPORE DOLLAR

The Singapore dollar lost 0.2 percent to 1.2549 to the U.S.

dollar, its weakest since April 8.

The city-state's unit, however, pared some of the losses on

month-end corporate demand and as investors bought it against

the ringgit.

PHILIPPINE PESO

The peso eased as investors covered dollar-short

positions and government bond yields rose.

Still, investors hesitated to add more bearish bets on the

peso as trading remained subdued.

Central bank governor Amando Tetangco reiterated the

authority's intention to stem volatility.

"The BSP will continue to maintain a strategic presence in

the FX market to help keep such volatility within reasonable

bounds," Tetangco said in a text message to reporters late on

Monday, referring to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR

Change on the day at 0440 GMT

Currency Latest bid Previous day Pct Move

Japan yen 102.65 102.60 -0.05

Sing dlr 1.2543 1.2520 -0.18

Taiwan dlr 30.270 30.268 -0.01

Korean won 1038.80 1039.00 +0.02

Baht 32.29 32.26 -0.11

Peso 44.51 44.43 -0.18

Rupiah 11515.00 11440.00 -0.65

Rupee 60.69 60.59 -0.16

Ringgit 3.2605 3.2505 -0.31

Yuan 6.2348 6.2274 -0.12

Change so far in 2014

Currency Latest bid End prev year Pct Move

Japan yen 102.65 105.28 +2.56

Sing dlr 1.2543 1.2632 +0.71

Taiwan dlr 30.270 29.950 -1.06

Korean won 1038.80 1055.40 +1.60

Baht 32.29 32.86 +1.77

Peso 44.51 44.40 -0.25

Rupiah 11515.00 12160.00 +5.60

Rupee 60.69 61.80 +1.84

Ringgit 3.2605 3.2755 +0.46

Yuan 6.2348 6.0539 -2.90

(Additional reporting by Rosemarie Francisco in MANILA; Editing

by Chris Gallagher)