NVDA gained a massive 197% since our AI first added it in November - is it time to sell? 🤔Read more

GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian stocks bounce off 2-month low as bonds, China markets steady

Published 10/03/2021, 02:05 pm
Updated 10/03/2021, 02:06 pm
© Reuters.
EUR/USD
-
USD/JPY
-
US500
-
JP225
-
DX
-
LCO
-
CL
-
US10YT=X
-
MIAPJ0000PUS
-
CSI300
-
USD/CNH
-

* Asian shares off 2-month low, China rebounds

* Steadier bonds ease investor anxiety

* Market still wary of bond yields ahead of auctions

By Hideyuki Sano and Matt Scuffham

TOKYO/NEW YORK, March 10 (Reuters) - Asian stocks bounced back from a two-month low on Wednesday after bond yields eased following a well-received auction and as Chinese shares found a footing after recent steep falls on policy tightening worries.

MSCI's ex-Japan Asia-Pacific shares index .MIAPJ0000PUS rose 0.4%, a day after it hit a two-month low. The CSI300 index of mainland China's A-shares .CSI300 rose 0.7% in early trade.

The rebound came after Chinese shares had fallen to their lowest levels since mid-December the previous day on the prospect of tighter policy and a slowing economic recovery. Nikkei .N225 was little changed while e-mini futures for the S&P 500 EScv1 shed 0.25%, erasing earlier gains.

"Markets are giving full attention to bonds. As earnings are not growing that fast right now, the lofty stock prices we have now will become unsustainable if bond yields rise further and undermine their valuation," said Hiroshi Watanabe, senior economist at Sony Financial Holdings.

The yield on benchmark 10-year notes US10YT=RR slipped to 1.539%, having peaked at 1.626% on Friday, after Tuesday's auction of $58 billion in U.S. 3-year notes was well received.

Yet, many market investors remained on edge, with the next tests of investor appetite for government debt due later this week in the form of 10-year and 30-year auctions.

"Although the bond market has steadied a bit, pressures will remain," said Naokazu Koshimizu, senior rates strategist at Nomura Securities.

"It has priced in future normalisation of the Fed's monetary policy, the Fed's policy becoming eventually neutral. But it has not yet priced in the chance of its policy becoming tighter."

Some investors see a real risk of an overheated U.S. economy and higher inflation on the back of planned spending by the Biden administration, including a $1.9 trillion stimulus and an even bigger initiative on infrastructure.

On Wall Street, each of the major averages closed higher, led by a gain of nearly 4% in the Nasdaq, giving the tech-heavy index its best day since Nov. 4.

The index has been highly susceptible to climbing rates, and Monday's retreat left it down more than 10% from its Feb. 12 close, confirming what is widely considered to be a correction. the 10-year is down a bit, and that takes pressure off valuations, so tech is performing well. The market is just about getting comfortable at this level of rates," said Kristina Hooper, chief global market strategist at Invesco in New York.

The speedier rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in some countries and the planned U.S. stimulus package helped underpin a brighter global economic outlook, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said, as it raised its 2021 growth forecast. foreign exchange markets, the dollar index =USD backed away from a 3-1/2-month high of 92.506 to stand at 92.138.

The euro firmed to $1.1881 EUR= , off Tuesday's 3 1/2-month low of $1.18355 while the yen changed hands at 108.76 per dollar JPY= , above a nine-month low of 109.235 set the previous day.

The offshore Chinese yuan CNH= strengthened to 6.5235 per dollar from Tuesday's three-month low of 6.5625.

Oil prices backed off on easing concerns over a supply disruption in Saudi Arabia.

U.S. crude futures CLc1 slipped 0.3% to $63.72 per barrel, away from a near 2 1/2-year high of $67.98 touched on Monday.

Brent crude futures LCOc1 settled at $67.52 per barrel, down 72 cents or 1.06%.

<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Global assets

http://tmsnrt.rs/2jvdmXl Global currencies vs. dollar

http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh Emerging markets

http://tmsnrt.rs/2ihRugV MSCI All Country World Index Market Cap

http://tmsnrt.rs/2EmTD6j

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.