Asian stocks faced a downturn on Thursday, mirroring the global trend of declining equities.
This decline followed the emergence of new indications of sustained inflationary pressures in the United States, which strengthened the case for keeping interest rates elevated for an extended period.
Global Market Performance
The U.S. dollar remained close to its highest level since mid-March against major currencies, reaching a fresh 10-month peak against the yen.
Long-term Treasury yields hovered near two-week highs, approaching 4.3%.
Meanwhile, Brent crude oil remained above $90 per barrel, contributing to concerns about inflation.
The broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares, MSCI, recorded a 0.45% drop, following similar declines in Wall Street and European markets.
Regional Impact
– Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index dropped nearly 1%.
– Mainland Chinese blue-chip stocks sank by 0.8%.
– Australia’s benchmark index lost 1.1%.
– Japan’s Nikkei experienced a milder decline of 0.2%, jeopardizing its eight-session winning streak.
– U.S. stock futures indicated a 0.1% decline, following a 0.7% drop in the S&P 500.
This decline in global markets occurred after U.S. data revealed unexpected strength in the services sector in August, suggesting persistent inflationary pressures.
Federal Reserve’s Outlook
While market participants still believe the Federal Reserve is unlikely to raise interest rates this month, there is now greater uncertainty about a rate hike by the end of the year.
The possibility of a rate cut is not expected until June.
This uncertainty is linked to the ongoing battle against inflation and the search for the elusive “neutral rate.”
Currency Movements
The dollar index, measuring the currency against six major counterparts, remained flat at 104.85 after reaching its highest level since March 15.
The euro held steady around $1.0724, following a dip to a three-month low.
The movement of the dollar is closely tied to long-term Treasury yields, which were at 4.29% on Thursday.
China’s Efforts and Trade Data
China’s central bank, the People’s Bank of China, continued to take steps to support the yuan by setting strong official midpoints for the currency.
Despite these efforts, the yuan remained on the weaker side of the closely watched 7.3 per dollar level.
Recent China trade data, though not as dire as expected, still showed a nearly 9% drop in exports and a more than 7% decline in imports.
Other Currency Movements
The Australian dollar, often considered a proxy for China’s economic performance, eased by 0.2% to $0.6371, close to its 10-month low.
Crude Oil Prices
Crude oil prices continued their steady ascent over the past two weeks, rising on expectations of reduced U.S. inventories.
This followed voluntary supply cuts by Saudi Arabia and Russia, extending into the year-end.
Brent crude futures gained 12 cents to reach $90.72 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures increased by 11 cents to $87.65.
Global Economic Outlook
The resilient U.S. economy, despite concerns about global growth, energy prices, and rising U.S. yields, bolstered the U.S. dollar.
China’s trade data, which showed less severe declines than expected, failed to lift investor sentiment.
The focus remains on Beijing’s potential measures to support its economy.
Central Banks’ Actions
Market expectations indicate a 47% chance of the Fed delivering another rate hike in November, though rates are likely to remain unchanged in the upcoming meeting.
Meanwhile, the Bank of England is nearing the end of its rate-hike cycle, driven by persistent inflation.
The European Central Bank’s decision on a rate increase remains uncertain, with differing views among its members.
British Pound’s Performance
The British pound traded near a three-month low against the resurgent dollar.
It had been the top-performing major developed market currency against the dollar earlier in the year, driven by positive British economic data and expectations of prolonged rate hikes by the Bank of England.
However, recent comments from BoE officials have tempered expectations.
South African Rand’s Weakness
The South African rand weakened due to ongoing rolling blackouts, worsening the country’s fiscal crisis.
The latest power cuts, along with rising fuel prices, have deterred investment in the rand and government bonds.
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange also experienced declines in its major indexes.
These market developments reflect the complex interplay of economic factors and central bank actions, influencing global and local market performance.
World News
TDPel Media
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