Emerging European FX slips, EM stocks rise as all eyes on Fed
Updated at 9:11 a.m. GMT
U.S. Fed expected to hold rates, signal rate cuts close
Lira touches record low to the dollar
MSCI EM on course for first monthly loss since January
Poland CPI below expectations
Ethiopia's birr slips after World Bank deal
Central bank decisions from Chile, Colombia and Brazil on deck
By Lisa Pauline Mattackal
July 31 (Reuters) -Currencies of most emerging European countries slipped against the dollar on Wednesday, with the Turkish lira touching a record low, while a gauge of EM stocks rose as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision later in the day.
MSCI's indexes tracking emerging market stocks .MSCIEF jumped 1.1%, lifted by gains on Asian bourses on hopes for economic stimulus in China after data showed the country's manufacturing activity slipped to a five-month nadir in July.
Additionally, geopolitical risks remained on the radar after Hamas said its leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran, drawing worries about further escalation in the region.
Turkey's lira TRYTOM=D3 dipped 0.2% versus the dollar, touching a fresh all-time low of 33.1075 against the greenback, while stocks in Turkey .XU100 dipped 0.5%.
Currencies in emerging European economies edged lower, with the Hungarian forint EURHUF= and Czech crown EURCZK= losing about 0.1% against both the euro and the greenback.
Meanwhile, the Polish zloty EURPLN= slipped 0.2% against the euro after data showed inflation jumped significantly in July, from 2.6% to 4.2% year-on-year, primarily due to the government's partial withdrawal of measures aimed at keeping down energy prices.
Investors awaited the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy decision later on Wednesday, where the central bank is expected to hold rates but could potentially signal rate cuts are imminent.
The Fed is a key event on a central bank-packed week. The Bank of Japan hiked interest rates earlier in the day. Decisions are on deck from the central banks of Colombia, Brazil, Chile on Wednesday, and the Czech Republic on Thursday.
"The BoJ and FOMC meetings bookend and are the focal points for a very busy day," said Marc Ostwald, global strategist at ADM Investor Services International.
"It is also month end, and price action thus far this week suggests this has been a constraint, above all given all of the event risk this week, not to mention long-standing national and geopolitical issues," Ostwald said, adding plenty of trading activity was likely post the Fed meeting as investors rebalance portfolios.
The emerging markets stock index is on pace for its first monthly decline since January, while an index tracking EM currencies .MIEM00000CUS is on track to rise about 0.3%, as markets have grappled with a U.S. tech-led equity selloff, while gauging the likelihood of lower interest rates in the U.S.
Emerging market bonds have fared better, with J.P. Morgan's index of dollar-denominated EM bonds returning 1.6% in July, putting its year-to-date gains at nearly 4%.
Elsewhere, the World Bank's board approved $1.5 billion in financing for its first ever budget support lending to Ethiopia, it announced on Tuesday.
Ethiopia's birr ETB= was trading around 74.738 against the dollar.
Nigeria's naira NGN=D1 was also under pressure, quoted at 1610 to the dollar and on course to fall nearly 7% in July.
HIGHLIGHTS:
** Hong Kong Q2 GDP expands 3.3% on year, Taiwan GDP tops forecasts
** Venezuelans protest as observers say presidential vote undemocratic
** Foreign banks' purchases of Indian bonds hit record high in 2024
For TOP NEWS across emerging markets nTOPEMRG
For CENTRAL EUROPE market report, see CEE/
For TURKISH market report, see .IS
For RUSSIAN market report, see RU/RUB
For GRAPHIC on emerging market FX performance in 2024 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
For GRAPHIC on MSCI emerging index performance in 2024 https://tmsnrt.rs/2OusNdX
Reporting by Lisa Mattackal in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber
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