Southeast Asia stocks - Most end higher as markets hopeful on Sino-U.S. trade talks

(Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets ended higher on Tuesday as investors turned their focus to Sino-U.S. trade talks due later this week, hoping that further tariffs between the world's two biggest economies can be avoided.

China, Southeast Asia's biggest trading partner, and the United States will on Thursday look to work on resolving a tit-for-tat tariff war that has battered economies worldwide, with markets looking for signs of resolution during the first minister-level negotiations in months.

Equities markets in China rose after a week-long holiday.

"Price action suggests the markets are expecting, at the very least, further tariffs to be deferred," Stephen Innes, Asia Pacific market strategist, AxiTrader said in a note to clients.

Weak U.S. manufacturing data along with continued signs of weakness in the Chinese economy provide incentives for a temporary deal, Innes added.

Earlier in the day, data from a private survey showed that China's services sector grew at its slowest pace in seven months in September.

Banking and consumer sectors helped the Philippine index <.PSI> rise to its highest close in more than a week.

Conglomerate SM Investments Corp gained 2.1%, while lender BDO Unibank was up 3.3%.

Indonesian stocks <.JKSE> rose after falling about 1% in the previous session, propped up by gains in the banking and consumer sectors.

Lender Bank Mandiri (Persero) rose 2.4%, while consumer goods manufacturer Unilever Indonesia climbed 1.7%.

An index of Indonesia's 45 most liquid stocks <.JKLQ45> was up 0.75%

Singapore shares <.STI> advanced, helped by gains in the industrial sector. Jardine Matheson Holdings was up 1.6%, while Jardine Strategic Holdings rose 1.2%

(Reporting by Soumyajit Saha in Bengaluru; Editing by Susan Fenton)

By Soumyajit Saha