* MSCI EM stocks down 1.6%, FX little changed

* Hungary's June industrial output rises 10.1% year-on-year

* U.S. jobless claims data later in the day

By Utkarsh Hathi

August 6 (Reuters) - Emerging-market stocks retreated from

multi-week highs on Thursday, weighed down by a pullback in

Asian semiconductor stocks.

MSCI's index tracking global EM equities slipped

1.6% from a three-week high set in the previous session, while

the currencies equivalent traded little changed

near a record high.

Unprecedented volatility in Asian tech stocks since late

June has rippled through the MSCI EM index, with just nine

companies -- mostly from South Korea and Taiwan -- accounting

for more than 40% of its weighting.

South Korea's KOSPI dropped 4.6%, and Taiwanese

shares edged 0.5% lower.

Emerging Europe, meanwhile, has been gripped by concerns

over a potential energy crisis in the region. Low water levels

in the Danube river have forced Hungary to shut down its sole

nuclear plant, threatening to undermine its industrial recovery,

while Romania may also shut down its sole working reactor within

a week unless water can be re-directed to the plant.

Romanian benchmark slipped 1.8% and Hungarian stocks

were subdued, while Polish blue-chip stocks

gained 0.7%.

Crude oil prices traded firm as traders waited for the

outcome of Iran-Oman talks to resume shipping through the Strait

of Hormuz.

Investors will focus on the U.S. labour market data later in

the day ahead of Friday's nonfarm payrolls report, with trading

in the U.S. dollar turning more data-dependent in the absence of

clear guidance from the Federal Reserve.

"We think that high carry currencies are worth having a look

at, (at) a time when there is considerable uncertainty around

the Fed's next steps," said Tilmann Kolb, analyst at UBS Global

Wealth Management.

"We need to be ready to see any kind of data release in this

sphere to potentially have an impact on the FX."

Most emerging Asian currencies were mixed against the U.S.

dollar, while South Africa's rand and the Turkish lira

traded steady.

Most emerging Europe currencies were muted against the euro,

except the Hungarian forint, which fell 0.8%.

HIGHLIGHTS:

** China's July exports growth likely cooled but still robust

** Interim head Destry frontrunner to be Bank Indonesia

Governor, source says

** India rate hike calls pushed back after central bank's dovish

pause

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