* Fed policy statement announcement due at 1800 GMT
    * Malaysia policy decision due at 0700 GMT

    By Indranil Sarkar
    Nov 3 (Reuters) - Asian currencies slipped on Wednesday
ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's expected commentary on
unwinding its pandemic-era policy support, while Thailand's baht
weakened on a bleak economic growth forecast for the year.
    The South Korean won declined 0.6% to lead
losses, followed by the Indonesian rupiah and the
Taiwanese dollar, against a firm dollar as investors
awaited clues on a rate hike outlook heading into next year.
    "Markets are largely in wait-and-see mode ahead of the U.S.
Fed meeting," Mizuho analysts wrote.
    "The question is not so much one of tapering, which at this
point seems a foregone conclusion, but more about the timing of
future rate hikes," they added, as several Asian central banks
still seem very far away from tightening monetary policy.
    The baht fell 0.4% after the deputy prime minister
said the country's economic growth would be subdued this year
owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Thailand this week re-opened its borders to fully vaccinated
tourists after about 18 months of restrictions, but investors
feel it is a little too early to determine its impact on the
country's economy.  
    South Korean stocks dropped 1.2%, after rising the
most in three weeks in its previous session.
    The rupiah shed 0.2% as the country's economic growth is
expected to have slowed significantly in the third quarter, a
Reuters poll found.
    Finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati separately told
Reuters on Tuesday that they could phase out coal-fired power
plants by 2040 if the world's top thermal coal exporter gets
sufficient financial help from the international community.
    
    Philippines stocks jumped 1.4% in a day that shares
of supermarket operator AllDay Marts, owned by the
country's richest man, soared by 50% on its market debut.

    The Malaysian ringgit inched 0.1% lower ahead of
its policy rate announcement due later in the day. 
    With macroeconomic policy focused on supporting economic
recovery and given the low and stable core inflation, the
Overnight Policy Rate was expected to stay at a current record
low of 1.75% well into 2022, analysts at Maybank wrote in a
note. 
    
    HIGHLIGHTS
    ** Singapore's top lenders United Overseas Bank
and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp fell 1.1% and 0.6%
even after posting a jump in Q3 profit
    ** Indonesian 10-year benchmark yields are down 1.6 basis
points at 6.2%  
    ** Singapore's 10-year benchmark yield is down 1 basis
points at 1.8% 


        
 Asia stock
   indexes and currencies at   0408 GMT
 COUNTRY   FX     FX      FX      INDEX     STOCKS    STOCKS
             RIC            YTD               DAILY     YTD
                  DAILY   %                 %         %
                  %                                   
 Japan                                               
 China                                           
 India                                             
 Indonesi                                            
 Malaysia                                            
 Philippi                                            
 S.Korea                                         
 Singapor                                            
 Taiwan                                            
 Thailand                                          
 
    
 (Reporting by Indranil Sarkar in Bengaluru; Editing by
Christian Schmollinger)