Southeast Asia stocks - Most gain on Chinese stimulus hope

(Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets edged higher on Monday, tracking broader Asian shares, as Chinese stocks extended gains from the previous session after Beijing's pledge to support the economy and tackle market volatility.

MSCI's broadest index of Asian shares outside Japan <.MIAPJ0000PUS> pared early losses to edge up 0.2 percent.

Blue-chips in Shanghai <.CSI300> climbed 3.5 percent in early trade, after China's top regulators came out to calm down the market following release of its GDP data, which boosted investor sentiment.

"Asian markets may still tread carefully today, awaiting further cues from China to see if Friday's equity rally can be sustained," OCBC analysts said in a note.

Indonesian shares <.JKSE> were up 0.1 percent boosted by telecom and banking stocks, with PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk adding 0.8 percent and lender PT Bank Mayapada Internasional Tbk jumped 6.8 percent.

Meanwhile, Indonesia's central bank is set to hold its policy meeting and is expected to hold its key interest rate on Tuesday as the rupiah has been stable over the past two weeks, a Reuters poll showed.

Bank Indonesia (BI) has hiked its benchmark by 150 basis points (bps) since mid-May to help prop up the fragile rupiah.

Singapore stocks <.STI> edged up 0.4 percent, with industrial holding company Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Holdings Ltd up 2.5 percent while media and publishing house Singapore Press Holdings Ltd added 1.9 percent.

Philippine stocks <.PSI> traded 0.9 percent higher, with gains in banking shares offsetting losses in telecom and energy stocks. Conglomerate Ayala Corp added 1.7 percent and Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co edged up 0.8 percent.

Malaysian stocks <.KLSE> bucked the trend to trade lower, weighed down by telecom operator Telekom Malaysia Berhad which shed 3.7 percent, while sector heavyweight Axiata Group Berhad lost 2.2 percent.

Malaysian equities last week saw a sell-off of international funds for a third consecutive week, although at a slower pace, MIDF Research said in a note.

Thai shares fell 0.4 percent following disappointing trade data for September.

Its customs-cleared annual exports defied analyst expectations, dropping for the first time in 19 months, which the commerce ministry attributed to a high comparative base and the Sino-U.S. trade war.

Exports, which act as a driver for Thai growth, fell 5.2 percent from a year earlier, compared to the median forecast for a 6.05 percent rise, according to a Reuters poll.

(Reporting by Rashmi Ashok; Editing by Sunil Nair)

By Rashmi Ashok