Asian equities, currencies gain, focus shifts to Fed's policy meeting
Thai stocks up 0.5%
Fed, BOJ, Bank Indonesia rate decisions due this week
Japan, China, Malaysia, Indonesia and South Korea on holiday
By Echha Jain and Sneha Kumar
Sept 16 (Reuters) -Most Asian currencies and equities rose on Monday in holiday-thinned trading, with a focus on this week's Federal Reserve policy meeting, where it is almost certain the central bank will cut its key interest rate, the only question being by how much.
Holidays in China, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea made for thin conditions. The broad MSCI emerging markets currency index .MIEM00000CUS edged 0.2% higher while the MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS gained 0.3%.
The Thai baht THB=TH appreciated 0.3% against the greenback, while local stocks .SETI added 0.5%. A senior finance ministry official said on Friday that the country's economy is expected to grow 3% this year, supported by the government's digital wallet stimulus programme, new fiscal-year budget spending and an expanded government equity fund.
The growth outlook was stronger than the finance ministry's forecast of 2.7% in July and up from last year's 1.9% expansion of the economy, which lagged regional peers.
The Fed's two-day monetary policy meeting beginning on Tuesday will take centre stage for the week. Expectations are for the central bank to kick-start an easing cycle, providing room for regional central banks to consider cutting rates.
Markets are pricing in a 59% chance of a 50 basis points (bps) cut, with a 41% probability of a 25 bps cut, CME FedWatch tool showed at 0455 GMT.
"A 25 bps cut will be less than what the market is anticipating, so it is likely to be moderately negative for risk sentiment in the immediate term," said Alvin Tan, head of FX Strategy at RBC Capital Markets.
On the other hand, Indonesia's central bank is expected to keep interest rates unchanged on Wednesday to support the rupiah but is expected to cut next quarter, according to a Reuters Poll.
Market participants will also scrutinise inflation data from Japan and Hong Kong, as well as monetary policy decisions from Taiwan and the Bank of Japan later in the week.
The Philippine peso PHP= gained 0.3% while stocks in Manila .PSI jumped 0.6%.
The Taiwan dollar TWD=TP edged 0.3% higher while Taipei stocks .TWII gained 0.2%.
Separately, official figures on Saturday showed China's industrial output growth slowed to a five-month low in August, while retail sales and new home prices weakened further, bolstering the case for aggressive stimulus to shore up the economy.
Faltering Chinese economic data has raised concerns on whether the country will be able to achieve the government's official growth target of around 5%.
Analysts at Citi revised down their full-year growth forecast for China to 4.7% year-on-year, expecting a weaker fourth quarter.
"The demand side is getting more concerning – if trade momentum peaks, domestic demand weakness would increasingly feed into the supply side and erode production strength," Citi said in a note.
HIGHLIGHTS:
** U.S. locks in steep China tariff hikes, many to start Sept. 27
** Vietnam says 2024 GDP may decline 0.15% due to Typhoon Yagi's impact
** India accuses Samsung, Xiaomi of colluding with Amazon, Flipkart
Asian stocks and currencies at 0350 GMT | ||||||
COUNTRY | FX RIC | FX DAILY % | FX YTD % | INDEX | STOCKS DAILY % | STOCKS YTD % |
Japan | JPY= | +0.55 | +0.72 | .N225 | - | 9.32 |
China | CNY=CFXS | - | +0.03 | .SSEC | - | -9.10 |
India | INR=IN | +0.01 | -0.80 | .NSEI | 0.00 | 16.68 |
Indonesia | IDR= | - | +0.00 | .JKSE | - | 7.42 |
Malaysia | MYR= | - | +6.79 | .KLSE | - | 13.58 |
Philippines | PHP= | +0.27 | -0.83 | .PSI | 0.62 | 9.56 |
S.Korea | KRW=KFTC | - | -3.13 | .KS11 | - | -3.01 |
Singapore | SGD= | +0.16 | +1.83 | .STI | -0.45 | 9.46 |
Taiwan | TWD=TP | +0.34 | -3.60 | .TWII | 0.18 | 21.58 |
Thailand | THB=TH | +0.30 | +3.02 | .SETI | 0.49 | 1.10 |
Graphic: World FX rates https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E
Asian stock markets https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
Reporting by Echha Jain and Sneha Kumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonali Paul
Mga Kaugnay na Asset
Pinakabagong Balita
Disclaimer: Ang mga kabilang sa XM Group ay nagbibigay lang ng serbisyo sa pagpapatupad at pag-access sa aming Online Trading Facility, kung saan pinapahintulutan nito ang pagtingin at/o paggamit sa nilalaman na makikita sa website o sa pamamagitan nito, at walang layuning palitan o palawigin ito, at hindi din ito papalitan o papalawigin. Ang naturang pag-access at paggamit ay palaging alinsunod sa: (i) Mga Tuntunin at Kundisyon; (ii) Mga Babala sa Risk; at (iii) Kabuuang Disclaimer. Kaya naman ang naturang nilalaman ay ituturing na pangkalahatang impormasyon lamang. Mangyaring isaalang-alang na ang mga nilalaman ng aming Online Trading Facility ay hindi paglikom, o alok, para magsagawa ng anumang transaksyon sa mga pinansyal na market. Ang pag-trade sa alinmang pinansyal na market ay nagtataglay ng mataas na lebel ng risk sa iyong kapital.
Lahat ng materyales na nakalathala sa aming Online Trading Facility ay nakalaan para sa layuning edukasyonal/pang-impormasyon lamang at hindi naglalaman – at hindi dapat ituring bilang naglalaman – ng payo at rekomendasyon na pangpinansyal, tungkol sa buwis sa pag-i-invest, o pang-trade, o tala ng aming presyo sa pag-trade, o alok para sa, o paglikom ng, transaksyon sa alinmang pinansyal na instrument o hindi ginustong pinansyal na promosyon.
Sa anumang nilalaman na galing sa ikatlong partido, pati na ang mga nilalaman na inihanda ng XM, ang mga naturang opinyon, balita, pananaliksik, pag-analisa, presyo, ibang impormasyon o link sa ibang mga site na makikita sa website na ito ay ibibigay tulad ng nandoon, bilang pangkalahatang komentaryo sa market at hindi ito nagtataglay ng payo sa pag-i-invest. Kung ang alinmang nilalaman nito ay itinuring bilang pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, kailangan mong isaalang-alang at tanggapin na hindi ito inilaan at inihanda alinsunod sa mga legal na pangangailangan na idinisenyo para maisulong ang pagsasarili ng pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, at dahil dito ituturing ito na komunikasyon sa marketing sa ilalim ng mga kaugnay na batas at regulasyon. Mangyaring siguruhin na nabasa at naintindihan mo ang aming Notipikasyon sa Hindi Independyenteng Pananaliksik sa Pag-i-invest at Babala sa Risk na may kinalaman sa impormasyong nakalagay sa itaas, na maa-access dito.
