(Updated at 0910 GMT)

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IEA cuts 2024 oil demand growth forecast on China slowdown

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South African inflation expectations fall further in Q3

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Serbia central bank expected to trim interest rates to

5.75%

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Stocks up 1.3%, FX flat

By Johann M Cherian

Sept 12 (Reuters) - Emerging markets got a boost from

broad gains in global tech-related stocks on Thursday, while

investors assessed a survey on inflation expectations in South

Africa and awaited economic data out of India.

MSCI's index tracking bourses in developing economies

rose 1.3%, with tech-focused indexes in Hong Kong

rising nearly 1%, and those in Korea and

Taiwan jumping over 2% each.

Investor sentiment got a boost from a report that said the

U.S. government was considering allowing Nvidia ( NVDA ) to

export advanced chips to Saudi Arabia. Some of the

AI-bellwether's suppliers are based in Korea and Taiwan.

Still, the MSCI EM index is not far from lows seen over a

month ago, and is on track for its first quarterly drop in a

year as concerns around global growth dampened risk taking ahead

of a U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cut expected later in

the month.

Shilan Shah, deputy chief emerging markets economist at

Capital Economics said, "while (the Fed's upcoming monetary

easing cycle) is likely to give some central banks a green light

to lower interest rates, EM rate decisions have been driven

increasingly by domestic rather than external developments.

"A potential increase in capital flows will be positive for

those EMs with balance of payments problems, although these are

comparatively rare now."

Reflecting a weak demand outlook from China, the

International Energy Agency cut its 2024 oil demand growth

forecast, just days after the Organisation of Petroleum

Exporting Countries trimmed its forecast for the current year

and the next.

Currencies of top crude importers Turkey and

India were muted against the dollar, while the

Philippine peso slipped 0.3%.

In south Asia, traders await inflation data out of India,

due at 1200 GMT, with economists expecting price-growth to slow.

The main equities index rose 1.3%, while yield on

benchmark bonds were steady.

Meanwhile, South Africa's rand dropped 0.5% after a

central bank survey showed inflation expectations fell further

in the third quarter, with expectations pinned on the central

bank to lower borrowing costs for the first time in more than

four years next week.

In central and eastern Europe, Poland's zloty

dipped 0.2%, while the Serbian dinar was muted ahead

of a local central bank interest rate decision with expectations

for a 25 basis point cut

Hungary's forint slipped 0.1%. The National Bank

of Hungary said expected rate cuts by major central banks could

create space to ease monetary conditions further in emerging

markets, minutes from its August policy meet showed.

Attention was also on the European Central Bank's monetary

policy decision later in the day, with expectations high for a

quarter point reduction.