EM ASIA FX-Spain bailout worries hit Asian FX

* Ringgit may head to 3.1742/dlr, 3.1816/dlr
* Won down on offshore funds, 1,147/dlr-1,149 supported
* Rupiah falls as foreigners sell Indonesian bonds

(Adds text, update prices)
By Jongwoo Cheon
SINGAPORE, July 23 (Reuters) - Emerging Asian currencies
slid against the dollar on Monday as fears that Spain will need
a full sovereign bailout hit risk sentiment, and as investors
fretted about economic data from major economies later this
week.
The Malaysian ringgit fell 0.7 percent as investors took
profits from the best performing emerging Asian currency last
week, and the South Korean won weakened on selling by offshore
funds.
The Indonesian rupiah also came under pressure as foreign
investors sold local bonds and local banks snapped up dollars,
although the central bank limited its downside, dealers said.
Other riskier assets including Asia-Pacific stocks outside
Japan fell after Spanish bond yields on Friday
hit their highest levels since the euro was created, even as
euro zone finance ministers approved the terms of a loan of up
to 100 billion euros for Madrid to recapitalise its banks.
[ID:ID:nL6E8IK22Y]
Adding to the worries, a report in Germany's Der Spiegel
magazine suggested that the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
may not take part in any additional financing for Greece.
The euro fell 1 percent against the yen to its lowest level
in more than 11-1/2 years. The single currency fell below
$1.2100 for the first time in more than two years.
"Continued jitters out of the euro zone coupled with global
slowdown concerns may continue to keep Asian FX under downward
pressure," said Emmanuel Ng, foreign exchange strategist at OCBC
Bank in Singapore.
Investors are keeping an eye on a slew of economic data such
as flash euro zone PMI and HSBC China manufacturing data on
Tuesday and U.S. second-quarter economic growth figures on
Friday.
"If China PMI tomorrow does not rise above 48 or 50, it is
gloomy for the rest of the world. China data is still so weak
even after so many stimulus including rate cuts," said a senior
Malaysian bank dealer in Kuala Lumpur.

RINGGIT
Interbank players suffered from stop-loss selling of the
ringgit and the Malaysian currency weakened past
3.1682, the 50 percent retracement of its appreciation earlier
this month.
The local unit is seen having room to weaken further,
probably to 3.1742, the 61.8 percent retracement level, and the
next target would be the 76.4 percent retracement at 3.1816.
The ringgit was the best performing emerging Asian currency
with a 1 percent gain against the dollar, Thomson Reuters data
showed.

WON
The won slid as offshore funds bought dollars,
prompting interbank players to cover short positions in the
greenback.
But the South Korean unit did not clear a technical support
area between 1,147-1,149 per dollar and market players were
reluctant to make bets in either ways, dealers said.
The local currency currently has the daily Ichimoku kijun
line at 1,147.8. It has been closing stronger than the chart
level since mid-June.
It also has the 61.8 percent Fibonacci retracement at
1,148.4 of it appreciation during early July.
"The (dollar/won) market appeared a bit heavy. Players did
not expect dollar/won's gains to last long either, given the
recent rebound was short and little," said a local bank dealer
in Seoul.

RUPIAH
The rupiah shed on continuous dollar demand from
Indonesian domestic banks and as foreign banks and offshore
funds sold the country's bonds, dealers said.
Foreign banks have not seen selling the local currency yet,
but market players expected their dollar demand, dealers added.
Still, the central bank was spotted buying the rupiah
through state banks around 9,490 per dollar and 9,495 to prevent
it from weakening past 9,500, according to dealers.
A Jakarta-based dealer said the rupiah is seen heading to
9,550 despite intervention by the central bank, given the global
risk-off sentiment.

PHILIPPINE PESO
The Philippine peso slid as interbank players
covered short dollar positions and on weaker Manila stocks.
But the peso found some relief as local banks bought it on
remittance inflows over the weekend, dealers said.

SINGAPORE DOLLAR
The Singapore dollar eased on selling from macro
funds.
The city-state's currency found relief as investors expected
inflows linked to beermaker stakes and from demand against the
euro.
It also recovered some of initial losses after data showing
the city-state's inflation in June was faster than expected.
Singapore' consumer price rose 5.3 percent in June from a
year earlier, beating market expectations of 5.2 percent.

CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR
Change on the day at 0720 GMT
Japan yen 77.99 78.50 +0.65
Sing dlr 1.2592 1.2564 -0.22
Taiwan dlr 30.029 29.995 -0.11
Korean won 1146.03 1141.20 -0.42
Baht 31.72 31.68 -0.13
Peso 42.06 41.86 -0.48
Rupiah 9470.00 9445.00 -0.26
Rupee 55.85 55.32 -0.94
Ringgit 3.1715 3.1505 -0.66
Yuan 6.3883 6.3735 -0.23

Change so far in 2012
Currency Latest bid End prev year Pct Move
Japan yen 77.99 76.92 -1.37
Sing dlr 1.2592 1.2969 +2.99
Taiwan dlr 30.029 30.290 +0.87
Korean won 1146.03 1151.80 +0.50
Baht 31.72 31.55 -0.54
Peso 42.06 43.84 +4.23
Rupiah 9470.00 9060.00 -4.33
Rupee 55.85 53.08 -4.95
Ringgit 3.1715 3.1685 -0.09
Yuan 6.3883 6.2940 -1.48

(Additional reporting by Yena Park in SEOUL and IFR Markets'
Catherine Tan; Editing by Kim Coghill)

For the new Reuters scrolling global forex service please click

Double click on brackets for following items:
Asian currencies Asian currencies in Asia
Malaysian ringgit Indonesian rupiah
Singapore dollar Thai baht
Taiwan dollar Hong Kong dollar
Philippine peso Korean won
SPEED GUIDES
Exotic currencies Non-G7 currencies
RELATED NEWS AND OTHER TOPICS
All Singapore news All Malaysian news
Thailand Indonesia Hong Kong Taiwan
Philippines Korea All emerging markets
All foreign exchange news
Foreign exchange technical analysis [FRX&INSI]