ZCZC
BCN-33
ASIA-MARKETS-UPDATE
Asian markets extend gains as Fed hopes linger
HONG KONG, July 12, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Asian equities rose Friday, building
on optimism fuelled by expectations of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut,
with debate now focusing on how far the central bank will go.
The gains came despite unease caused by Donald Trump accusing China of
backsliding on a trade promise — just days after the two sides tentatively
began phone talks on resolving their tariffs war.
After big losses at the start of the week, trading floors have been much
more positive since Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell’s congressional
testimony Wednesday in which he all but flicked the switch on a rate cut at
the end of the month.
A second day of testimony Thursday essentially reiterated his point.
His comments, which highlighted economic headwinds from the trade war and
slowing global growth, sparked a rally on world markets.
“We have a sitting (policy board) that is prepared to over-deliver on
markets’ expectations as… Powell’s monetary policy testimony unambiguously
reinforces his inclination to cut rates aggressively,” said Vanguard Markets’
Stephen Innes.
He added that even a forecast-beating inflation report on Thursday was
unable to deter traders from betting on a reduction.
“Not surprisingly there is 100 percent consensus the Fed is going to cut
in July. But we are still no closer to settling the 25 or 50 (basis points)
July rate cut debate.”
– Trump sows uncertainty –
Hong Kong added 0.1 percent and Shanghai ended 0.4 percent higher with
Tokyo 0.2 percent up.
Seoul gained 0.3 percent, Wellington added 0.1 percent, and Manila rose
0.4 percent. Singapore added 0.1 percent despite data showing the city-
state’s economy taking a serious hit from global trade uncertainty.
But Sydney, Taipei and Jakarta were all lower.
In early trade London and Paris each rose 0.2 percent but Frankfurt eased
0.1 percent.
MORE/HR/1430
ZCZC
BCN-34
ASIA-MARKETS-UPDATE 2 LAST HONG KONG
The broad gains follow another record lead from Wall Street, where the Dow
ended above 27,000 for the first time.
As investors head into the weekend Trump provided a seed of uncertainty
with his tweet hitting out at China, just two weeks after meeting its
President Xi Jinping and telling the world that trade talks were “back on
track”.
He accused China of not fulfilling a pledge to buy more agricultural
goods, saying it was “letting us down in that they have not been buying the
agricultural products from our great Farmers that they said they would”.
“Hopefully they will start soon!”
While the remark did not spark a sell-off on equity markets, observers
pointed out that it highlighted how much work needed to be done before the
economic superpowers reach an agreement.
There are also lingering concerns about Trump’s decision to order a probe
into France’s planned tax on internet services as Paris targets US titans
Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon.
On currency markets the yen, euro and pound added to gains against the
dollar though the greenback clawed back some of its past days’ losses against
higher-yielding, riskier assets such as the South Korean won and Indonesian
rupiah.
– Key figures around 0810 GMT –
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.2 percent at 21,685.90 (close)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng: UP 0.1 percent at 28,471.62 (close)
Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.4 percent at 6,696.50 (close)
London – FTSE: UP 0.2 percent at 7,524.22
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1270 from $1.1255 at 2130 GMT
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2534 from $1.2526
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 108.38 yen from 108.45 yen
West Texas Intermediate: UP 45 cents at $60.65 per barrel
Brent North Sea crude: UP 55 cents at $67.07 per barrel
New York – Dow: UP 0.9 percent at 27,088.08 (close)
BSS/AFP/HR/1435