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Asian markets mostly up after Wall St record, focus on US jobs
HONG KONG, July 4, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Asian markets mostly rose Thursday,
tracking a record performance on Wall Street, as investors turned their focus
to the upcoming release of US jobs data while hoping for a big Federal
Reserve interest rate cut.
US traders went on a pre-July 4 spending spree Wednesday to push all three
main indexes to their all-time highs as a string of weak economic indicators
reinforced the case for the Fed to reduce borrowing costs.
With the relief-rally from Donald Trump and Xi Jinping’s trade war
ceasefire running its course, dealers were turning their attention to the
global outlook and pinning their hopes on central bank support.
The release Friday of US non-farm payroll figures is key, analysts say,
with a weak reading likely to reinforce expectations of a rate cut.
Talk of a reduction and concerns about the economy have seen the yield on
safe haven 10-year Treasuries fall below two percent
“A lot of US economic data is wavering, as most key indicators are falling
below trend, but the recent standouts have been labour and wage data,” said
OANDA senior market analyst Edward Moya.
“If the pillars of the economy begin to show some signs of weakness, this
will disrupt the US consumer and support the calls for the Fed to cut in July
and signal an additional one is on the way.”
– Dollar dips –
Tokyo climbed 0.3 percent and Sydney jumped 0.5 percent, while Singapore
was up 0.3 percent.
Seoul rose 0.6 percent, Taipei added 0.3 percent, and Mumbai put on 0.2
percent, with gains also in Jakarta, though Hong Kong, Shanghai, Manila and
Bangkok retreated.
In early European trade London was barely moved, Paris gained 0.1 percent
and Frankfurt added 0.2 percent.
Stephen Innes, at Vanguard Markets, said the fall in yields across several
asset classes “has increased investor appetite for high dividend-yielding
equity risk”.
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ASIA-MARKETS-UPDATE 2 LAST HONG KONG
Investors were “hoping that this next wave central bank monetary infusion
will provide a foundation to ensure the global cyclical bottom is set while
offering a welcoming climate to extend this bullish trading cycle,” he said.
The increasing likelihood of a Fed cut weighed on the dollar, with riskier
currencies such as the South Korean won, Australian dollar and Indonesian
rupiah all strengthening.
The Chinese yuan was also slightly higher.
However, Trump hit out at China on Wednesday in a Twitter rant, accusing
it and Europe of artificially keeping the yuan and euro weak to gain an
advantage over the US.
He said they were playing a “big currency manipulation game” and “pumping
money into their system”, adding that the US should step up to the fight by
matching them.
Oil prices fell more than one percent, giving up Tuesday’s gains, with
traders disappointed by the size of the drop in US stockpiles of the
commodity, while worries over the global economic outlook weigh on demand
expectations.
– Key figures around 0810 GMT –
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.3 percent at 21,702.45 (close)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng: DOWN 0.2 percent at 28,795.77 (close)
Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.3 percent at 3,005.25 (close)
London – FTSE 100: FLAT at 7,611.05
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1282 from $1.1280 at 2100 GMT
Dollar/yen: UP at 107.82 yen from 107.81
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2580 from $1.2576
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 61 cents at $56.74 per barrel
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 70 cents at $63.12 per barrel
New York – Dow: UP 0.7 percent at 26,966.00 (close)
BSS/AFP/HR/1445