(Updated at 0931 GMT)

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C.bank monetary policy decisions in S.Africa, Egypt due

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TSMC rides AI demand to raise revenue forecast

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Investors monitor Kenya, Bangladesh protests

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Ukraine's budget panel recommends suspending debt payments

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Stocks off 0.4%, FX flat

By Johann M Cherian

July 18 (Reuters) - Caution prevailed across most

developing markets on Wednesday, ahead of China policy

announcements and interest-rate decisions by a few central

banks, while attention was also on the opening of South Africa's

parliament following recent elections.

MSCI's index tracking emerging markets equities

slipped 0.4%, its third-straight day in losses, while a

currencies gauge was flat against the dollar.

China stocks settled higher by 0.5%, with

markets anticipating any policy announcements to support the

second largest economy's sluggish recovery, following the

conclusion of a four-day Communist Party meet.

Tech-heavy stock indexes in Asia such as Taiwan,

Korea and Hong Kong's tech index closed lower

between 0.6% and 1.5%, as a report of the U.S. mulling tighter

export curbs on advanced chip technology to China overshadowed

an upbeat quarterly revenue forecast from TSMC.

South Africa's rand was muted, and yield on the

benchmark sovereign bond ticked up 2 basis points

(bps) ahead of a rate decision, where most economists expect the

local central bank to leave rates at 8.25%.

Markets will also focus on President Cyril Ramaphosa's

opening address to parliament, for any clues on the policy

trajectory for the first coalition government in the country.

"The reforms designed to improve electricity infrastructure

is probably going to be the biggest challenge for South Africa

and if they're able to come up with policies and improvements to

infrastructure, then markets would react favourably to that,"

said Matthew Ryan, head of market strategy at Ebury.

The rand has strengthened about 3.5% after national

elections held in late May pointed to a coalition government,

and the local central bank has stayed put on borrowing costs.

Meanwhile, a parliamentary budget committee has recommended

that lawmakers approve a law granting the Ukrainian government

the right to suspend debt payments.

Against the backdrop of the Russian-Ukraine conflict, the

country has $19.7 billion outstanding on its international bonds

and owes $2.6 billion on GDP warrants. The hryvnia inched

up 0.3%, after depreciating more than 1% on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh's taka was flat, even as local

protests over high unemployment intensified. Kenya's shilling

was muted as investors monitored local developments after

police banned demonstrations in the capital following weeks of

anti-government protests.

In the Middle East, Israel's Tel Aviv stock index

slipped 0.3%. The exchange is expected to launch a futures

market in September.

Hungary's forint led gains among eastern and

central European currencies with a 0.3% rise, to touch levels

seen more than a month ago.

Elsewhere, Egypt's pound slipped 0.1% ahead of an

interest rate decision, with economists expecting no change.