HONG KONG, Aug 7, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Most major Asian markets rose on
Tuesday following another positive Wall Street lead, with energy firms
surging along with oil prices.
A healthy earnings season has supported global equities in recent weeks,
although gains have been limited by continuing concerns about the simmering
trade war between China and the US.
As investors awaited the next developments in the tariffs dispute, they
moved in to pick up cheaper stocks. Hong Kong was up 1.5 percent as it built
on Monday’s gains. Shanghai surged to close 2.7 percent higher, day after
hitting a near two-and-a-half-year low.
Tokyo jumped 0.7 percent and Singapore 1.8 percent, while Seoul gained 0.6
percent. However, Sydney dipped 0.3 percent, while Wellington, Taipei and
Manila were also lower. Mumbai was flat, having hit a record high Monday.
Energy firms soared after a rise in oil prices Monday on the back of
reports that Saudi Arabia had lowered its output. PetroChina piled on more
than three percent in Hong Kong and Tokyo-listed Inpex was 1.9 percent
higher.
Also, the US reimposed stiff sanctions on Iran following Donald Trump’s
decision to exit a multi-nation nuclear deal with the major producer. While
the first round of sanctions targets the Islamic republic’s access to US
banknotes and key industries including cars and carpets, the country’s key
oil sector is in line to be hit on November 5.
Oil was slightly higher on Tuesday in Asia.
– ‘Psychological warfare’ –
But the issue has fuelled geopolitical concerns, with some observers saying
the White House is working towards regime change in Tehran.
Iran’s leaders have dismissed Trump’s offer of talks, saying the US was
waging “psychological warfare”.
“This feels like a movie we’ve all seen before in Afghanistan and Iraq, and
would appear to go counter to the approach President Trump seemed to have
mapped out for the Middle East,” said Greg McKenna, chief market strategist
at AxiTrader.
“It’s a dangerous strategy given historical precedents and the entrenched
Iranian regime. But, like the trade war with China and almost everything else
the administration is pursuing, this too looks like a negotiating tactic.”
On currency exchanges the pound edged up but was stuck around 11-month lows
after tumbling in response to a warning from Britain’s international trade
secretary Liam Fox, that the odds of leaving the EU without a deal were “60-
40”.
That came on top of comments from Bank of England boss Mark Carney, who
said the chance of leaving the EU without a deal was “uncomfortably high” and
“highly undesirable”.
The euro was also up but still struggling to bounce back from Monday’s
losses sparked by news that industrial orders in Germany, Europe’s biggest
economy, fell more than expected in June.
In early trade London equities rose 0.3 percent, Paris added 0.3 percent
and Frankfurt was up 0.5 percent.
– Key figures around 0810 GMT –
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.7 percent at 22,662.74 (close)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng: UP 1.5 percent at 28,248.88 (close)
Shanghai – Composite: UP 2.7 percent at 2,779.37 (close)
London – FTSE 100: UP 0.3 percent at 7,684.91
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1570 from $1.1553 at 2100 GMT
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2961 from $1.2943
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 111.26 yen from 111.39 yen
Oil – West Texas Intermediate: UP 28 cents at $69.29 per barrel
Oil – Brent Crude: UP 49 cents at $74.24 per barrel
New York – Dow Jones: UP 0.2 percent at 25,502.18 (close)