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Asian markets slip with Wall Street as tax reform fears bite
HONG KONG, Dec 15, 2017 (BSS/AFP) – Asian markets mostly headed into the
weekend with losses on Friday following a sell-off on Wall Street as traders
fear US lawmakers will fail to pass much-vaunted tax cuts.
Tokyo’s Nikkei was among the biggest losers, even with data showing
Japanese business confidence at an 11-year high, while the euro struggled to
recover from a disappointing European Central Bank meeting.
Wall Street stocks fell Thursday on reports that Republican senator Marco
Rubio was considering voting against a final tax cut deal if certain demands
were not met.
The warning comes as at least two other members of his party remain
uncertain about how they will vote, putting its wafer-thin majority in peril.
The surprise loss of the Republicans’ once-safe Alabama seat this week has
added to the sense of fear and once again raises questions about Donald
Trump’s ability to push through his economic agenda.
Hopes he would introduce market-friendly measures such as tax cuts,
infrastructure spending and deregulation helped fire a global rally this
year, with all three main US indexes hitting multiple records.
But Shane Chanel, equities and derivatives adviser at ASR Wealth Advisers,
warned: “Markets are pricing a lot of optimism and usually only one thing
happens when there is disappointing news.
“At these multiples, I believe that US markets are pricing in so much
optimism that it doesn’t leave any room for error.”
– Election worries –
Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at AxiTrader, added: “Things won’t
get any easier in 2018 as candidates wonder about their electoral chances in
the mid-term elections.”
Tokyo ended the morning session 0.9 percent lower as the dollar fell
against the yen on fading hopes for inflation-friendly tax cuts.
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That trumped the Bank of Japan’s latest quarterly Tankan report showing
Japan’s biggest manufacturers were the most confident they have been since
2006 as the world’s number three economy continues to improve.
Hong Kong sank 1.1 percent, Shanghai and Singapore each lost 0.5 percent
while Sydney retreated 0.2 percent.
Taipei and Manila turned lower but Seoul added 0.3 percent and Wellington
0.2 percent.
While the dollar faces headwinds from tax reform concerns, it is holding
gains against the euro after the ECB left interest rates on hold, maintained
its massive stimulus and offered a dim outlook for inflation over the next
two years.
And while the bank hiked its economic growth expectations for the
eurozone, boss Mario Draghi indicated borrowing costs would remain low as
long as inflation was tepid.
– Key figures around 0230 GMT –
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.9 percent at 22,494.76 (break)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng: DOWN 1.1 percent at 28,836.83
Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.5 percent at 3275.51
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1780 from $1.1781 at 2140 GMT
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3434 from $1.3431
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 112.28 yen from 112.37 yen
Oil – West Texas Intermediate: UP five cents at $57.09 per barrel
Oil – Brent North Sea: DOWN two cents at $63.29 per barrel
New York – DOW: DOWN 0.3 percent at 24,508.66 (close)
London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.7 percent at 7,448.12 (close)
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