Aug 31 (Reuters) - The Turkish lira edged higher on Wednesday on positive economic growth data and central bank efforts to shore up currency reserves, while surging Polish inflation bolstered the case for continued interest rate hikes, boosting the zloty.

More broadly, emerging market currencies were flat, with Asian currencies firming against a steady dollar, while moves elsewhere were more muted.

In August, MSCI's EM currencies index was down about 1% in its third straight monthly decline as dollar strength amid hawkish Federal Reserve bets pressured higher-risk assets.

In stock markets, Russian stocks hit three months highs and were last up around 3.2% as Gazprom jumped 25% after the company reported a record first-half profit and recommended interim dividends.

Other emerging market bourses were mixed. The broader index rose 0.3% but Fed worries and China growth concerns after factory activity extended declines in August, limited the upside.

MSCI's EM stocks index is up a meagre 0.2% this month, looking to mark only its second month in the black this year as global recession worries have curbed inflows.

RATE EXPECTATIONS BOOST ZLOTY

The Polish zloty rose as much as 0.3% against the euro after statistics office data showed inflation in August rose more than expected to 16.1%, while GDP came in higher than first estimates.

"In Poland, we hold the view that the central bank will eventually need to hike rates more aggressively than is currently priced in because inflation is going to remain elevated for some time," said Nimrod Mevorach, EM strategist and economist at Credit Suisse.

Other central and eastern European currencies eked out small gains versus the euro. Hungary's forint hit a two-week high, extending gains following a 100 bps interest rate rise and promise of more, as well as some quantitative tightening measures.

But given the energy crisis in Europe weighing on growth and spurring inflation, the forint's rise may be short-lived, said Commerzbank's EM and FX analyst Tatha Ghose.

In Turkey, the lira which is down almost 27% this year and just 1% away from record lows against the dollar, rose 0.2% to 18.19, after second quarter GDP data came in stronger-than-expected at 7.6%. But growth is seen slowing in the second half of the year.

Analysts see the currency hitting new lows this year, at around 19, as the central bank follows an unconventional monetary policy path.

On Thursday, the central bank raised the minimum percentage of foreign exchange deposits that banks need to convert to Turkish liras on Wednesday. For GRAPHIC on emerging market FX performance in 2022, see http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh For GRAPHIC on MSCI emerging index performance in 2022, see https://tmsnrt.rs/2OusNdX

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For RUSSIAN market report, see (Reporting by Susan Mathew in Bengaluru. Editing by Jane Merriman)