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Asian markets struggle, pound wallows at 20-month low
HONG KONG, Dec 11, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Asian equities struggled again Tuesday
despite a bounce in New York as investors fret over a perfect storm of issues
that have hammered global markets, while the pound remained stuck around 20-
month lows on Brexit uncertainty.
Bargain-buyers tried to step in after the latest sell-off but were unable
to gain traction, with fears about the outlook for the global economy keeping
sentiment beaten down.
The China-US trade row, signs of softness in both countries’ economies,
the Huawei arrest, Brexit, demonstrations in France and tanking oil prices
are among the problems facing investors, and analysts warned of more
volatility to come.
Adding to those problems is upheaval in India — another crucial economy –
– where the head of the central Reserve Bank of India has resigned following
a row with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration over alleged
government interference.
Monday’s development sent the rupee, which was already Asia’s worst-
performing currency, tumbling more than one percent Tuesday, with speculation
the RBI had intervened to prevent heftier losses. The Mumbai stock market was
down a similar amount.
Global risk sentiment “is facing a towering wall of worry as virtually
every major economy in the world is slowing, suggesting the synchronised
global slowdown is accelerating at a much faster pace than thought,” said
Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trade at OANDA.
In Asian trade Hong Kong was down 0.1 percent at lunch, Tokyo shed 0.4
percent in the afternoon, Singapore was 0.4 percent off and Seoul was
marginally lower. Bangkok and Jakarta also slipped.
However, Shanghai rose 0.3 percent by the break, Sydney was 0.1 percent
higher and Wellington added 0.2 percent. Manila and Taipei rose.
– ‘Positive signal’ –
On currency markets the pound was stuck around levels last seen in April
2017, having dived 1.6 percent Monday in reaction to Prime Minister Theresa
May’s decision to delay Tuesday’s parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal.
MORE/MR/ 1045 hrs
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May recognised the agreement would be voted down and promised to get
clarity from Brussels on the key issue of Northern Ireland, but the decision
ramped up uncertainty and fuelled fresh questions about her political future.
Adding to the problems, the PM did not provide a timetable for a new vote.
“The market is concerned that the postponement uses up valuable time
before the 29th March exit date, and the risk of a no-deal scenario is
growing” said National Australia Bank economist David de Garis.
On an upbeat note, Beijing’s economics point man Vice Premier Liu He spoke
with US officials to flesh out a timetable for talks to resolve their trade
row, following this month’s G20 truce hammered out between Donald Trump and
Xi Jinping.
“It’s a positive signal that work is in progress,” said Michelle Lam, a
greater China economist at Societe Generale.
However, there are low expectations the two sides can reach a full-blown
agreement that will end their trade war, with the waters muddied by the
arrest in Canada of a top executive at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei.
Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer and daughter of the firm’s
founder, faces US fraud charges related to allegedly breaking Iran sanctions
but has asked for bail.
The arrest has angered China and led to concerns it could derail the trade
talks.
Both main oil contracts inched higher but were well short of making up for
the three percent losses suffered Monday on concerns an output cut agreed by
OPEC at the weekend might not be enough to lift prices and offset a supply
glut.
– Key figures around 0410 GMT –
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.4 percent at 21,125.76
Hong Kong – Hang Seng: DOWN 0.1 percent at 25,723.04 (break)
Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.3 percent at 2,591.75 (break)
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2576 from $1.2562 at 2200 GMT
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1367 from $1.1354
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 113.06 yen from 113.35 yen
Oil – West Texas Intermediate UP 14 cents at $51.14 per barrel
Oil – Brent Crude: UP 11 cents at $60.08 per barrel
New York – Dow Jones: UP 0.1 percent at 24,423.26 (close)
London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.8 percent at 6,721.54 (close)
BSS/AFP/MR/ 1045 hrs