Asia shares firm, euro dogged by French election deadlock
Asian stock markets : https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
Euro down a fraction as France heads for hung parliament
Stocks underpinned by hopes for Sept Fed rate cut
Week sees US CPI data, Fed Powell, corporate earnings
By Wayne Cole
SYDNEY, July 8 (Reuters) -Asian stocks inched higher on Monday as investors grew more confident about a September U.S. rate cut, while the euro grappled with political uncertainty as French elections pointed to a hung parliament.
In France, a leftist alliance unexpectedly took top spot ahead of the far right, a major upset that was set to prevent Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) from running the government.
The loss of the far right was something of a relief for investors, though they also have concerns the left's plans could unwind many of President Emmanuel Macron's pro-market reforms.
"It will be difficult for France to form a government and as the most likely potential outcome is now some arrangement between parts of the left and Macron," said Holger Schmiedling, chief economist at Berenberg.
"This could mean some reform reversals rather than further reforms. The outcome I would say is less bad than could have been the case. It could have been much worse."
The single currency dipped a fraction in reaction to $1.0825 EUR=EBS, having been as high as $1.0843 on Friday when a soft U.S. jobs report undermined the dollar.
The euro was also down 0.25% on the Swiss franc at 0.9680 francs EURCHF=EBS, but held firm on the yen at 174.00 EURJPY=EBS. The dollar stood at 160.70 yen JPY=EBS>, just off its recent top of 161.86.
Equities were supported by hopes a U.S. policy easing was getting closer. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS were up 0.1%, trimming earlier gains, after reaching a two-year top last week.
Japan's Nikkei .N225 held steady near record highs.
S&P 500 futures ESc1 and Nasdaq futures NQc1 were both down 0.1%. Earnings season kicks off later this week when Citigroup, JP Morgan and Well Fargo all report.
Investors took Friday's jobs report as adding to the case for a September rate cut from the Federal Reserve, with futures 0#FF: now implying a 77% chance of a move. FEDWATCH
Markets also have 53 basis points of easing priced in for this year, up from around 40 basis points a month ago.
"Three-month payroll growth fell sharply to +177k from +249k as previously reported, driven by 111k of downward revisions," wrote analysts at Goldman Sachs.
"We continue to expect the FOMC to deliver its first cut in September, followed by quarterly cuts to a terminal rate of 3.25-3.5%."
Treasuries rallied on the report, with 10-year yields US10YT=RR down at 4.297% having been as high as 4.4930% early last week.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell will have chance to offer his outlook when he appears before Congress on Tuesday and Wednesday, while several other Fed officials are speaking this week.
The main economic event will be the U.S. consumer price report on Thursday, where headline inflation is expected to slow to 3.1%, from 3.3%, with the core steady at 3.4%.
German inflation data are out the same day, while China releases consumer prices and trade figures this week.
In commodity markets, gold held near one-month highs at $2,385 an ounce XAU=. GOL/
Oil prices gained on strong summer fuel demand and potential supply disruptions from Gulf of Mexico hurricanes. O/R
Brent LCOc1 added 22 cents to $86.76 a barrel, while U.S. crude CLc1 rose 2 cents to $83.18 per barrel.
Asia stock markets https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
Asia-Pacific valuations https://tmsnrt.rs/2Dr2BQA
Reporting by Wayne Cole; Editing by Sam Holmes
To read Reuters Markets and Finance news, click on https://www.reuters.com/finance/markets For the state of play of Asian stock markets please click on: 0#.INDEXA
Relaterade tillgångar
Senaste nytt
Ansvarsfriskrivning: XM Group-enheter tillhandahåller sin tjänst enbart för exekvering och tillgången till vår onlinehandelsplattform, som innebär att en person kan se och/eller använda tillgängligt innehåll på eller via webbplatsen, påverkar eller utökar inte detta, vilket inte heller varit avsikten. Denna tillgång och användning omfattas alltid av i) villkor, ii) riskvarningar och iii) fullständig ansvarsfriskrivning. Detta innehåll tillhandahålls därför uteslutande som allmän information. Var framför allt medveten om att innehållet på vår onlinehandelsplattform varken utgör en uppmaning eller ett erbjudande om att ingå några transaktioner på de finansiella marknaderna. Handel på alla finansiella marknader involverar en betydande risk för ditt kapital.
Allt material som publiceras på denna sida är enbart avsett för utbildnings- eller informationssyften och innehåller inte – och ska inte heller anses innehålla – rådgivning och rekommendationer om finansiella frågor, investeringsskatt eller handel, dokumentation av våra handelskurser eller ett erbjudande om, eller en uppmaning till, en transaktion i finansiella instrument eller oönskade finansiella erbjudanden som är riktade till dig.
Tredjepartsinnehåll, liksom innehåll framtaget av XM såsom synpunkter, nyheter, forskningsrön, analyser, kurser, andra uppgifter eller länkar till tredjepartssajter som återfinns på denna webbplats, tillhandahålls i befintligt skick, som allmän marknadskommentar, och utgör ingen investeringsrådgivning. I den mån som något innehåll tolkas som investeringsforskning måste det noteras och accepteras att innehållet varken har varit avsett som oberoende investeringsforskning eller har utarbetats i enlighet med de rättsliga kraven för att främja ett sådant syfte, och därför är att betrakta som marknadskommunikation enligt tillämpliga lagar och föreskrifter. Se till så att du har läst och förstått vårt meddelande om icke-oberoende investeringsforskning och riskvarning om ovannämnda information, som finns här.
