🐂 Not all bull runs are created equal. November’s AI picks include 5 stocks up +20% eachUnlock Stocks

GLOBAL MARKETS-World stocks rise from 2-1/2 month low, China soothes currency markets

Published 03/07/2018, 09:51 pm
Updated 03/07/2018, 10:00 pm
© Reuters.  GLOBAL MARKETS-World stocks rise from 2-1/2 month low, China soothes currency markets
DJI
-
HK50
-
BK
-
0941
-
LCO
-
ESZ24
-
1YMZ24
-
NQZ24
-
SSEC
-
STOXX
-
MIWD00000PUS
-
BABA
-
DXY
-
SX8P
-
SXEP
-
USD/CNH
-

* Trade war concerns grow as July 6 U.S. tariff deadline nears

* Shanghai stocks at 2-yr low, HK down 3 pct before edging up

* Chinese yuan slips past 6.7; recovers after reported intervention

* European shares, euro rise after German compromise on migration

* Wall Street set for another firmer session on tech

* Turkish lira falls as inflation rises to 14-yr highs (Changes quotes, updates prices throughout)

By Sujata Rao

LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) - World stocks rose on Tuesday, supported by gains in Europe and three straight days of tech-driven rises in the United States, even though markets across Asia and especially China remained in the grip of trade turbulence.

Wall Street was set for another firmer session as investors positioned for strong Silicon Valley earnings before the reporting season starts next week, while European shares also rose after a deal on settling a migration policy row that had threatened Germany's coalition government. a July 6 deadline is looming for Washington to impose tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese goods that Beijing has vowed to match with tariffs on U.S. products. President Donald Trump also threatened on Monday to "do something" if the United States was not better treated by the World Trade Organisation.

Prospects of a full-blown trade war and relentless yuan weakening CNY= -- it has fallen 5 percent in the past two weeks near 11-month lows -- reportedly forced China into intervention via state-run banks. central bank advisor was also quoted as saying authorities did not expect significant yuan depreciation. That helped the yuan reverse earlier losses to move back into positive territory for the day against the dollar, standing 0.3 percent firmer in offshore trade at 6.66 per dollar CNH= .

The gains filtered through to other Asian currencies, as well as the Australian dollar, considered a proxy for China risk, allowing it to edge off 1-1/2-year lows to the greenback AUD= .

However, forward markets anticipate the yuan will stay under pressure. It is seen trading around 6.7 per dollar in six months' time CNH6MV= , with many reckoning Beijing could use currency weakness as a tool to counter U.S. trade barriers.

"It is by far the biggest (yuan loss) I can remember. Prudence suggests it has to be matched across Southeast Asia because of the competitive implications," said Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE:BK) strategist Neil Mellor.

"It generates a degree of instability in the market simply by virtue of its scale."

Among equities, Hong Kong dived as much as 3.3 percent to nine-month lows .HSI , hit also by U.S. curbs on China Mobile 0941.HK . Shanghai's bourse hit a two-year trough .SSEC but closed higher as the yuan recovered.

The mood was more cheerful in Europe where a pan-European equity index rose one percent .STOXX , the euro firmed and bond yields climbed after German Chancellor Angela Merkel struck a migration deal with her Bavarian conservative coalition partners. U.S. EXPECTATIONS

Equity futures for the U.S. S&P500, Dow Jones and Nasdaq indexes ESc1 1YMc1 NQc1 rose around 0.4 percent, indicating Wall Street's tech-driven rally would continue.

Tech shares have been relatively resilient to trade fears - the New York Stock Exchange's index of 10 tech giants including China's Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) has gained over 30 percent this year.

"The big driver behind U.S. resilience is that tech has been strong," said Rory McPherson, head of investment strategy at asset manager Psigma. "Expectations are pretty high for the earnings season, with talk of 20 percent earnings growth year-on-year."

Energy stocks have been boosted by Brent crude's rise past $78 a barrel LCOc1 , he noted. Europe's tech and energy sectors rose 0.5 and 1 percent respectively .SX8P .SXEP .

That helped MSCI's world index to rise 0.25 percent, inching further off 2-1/2 month lows hit last week .MIWD00000PUS .

While U.S. growth and company earnings seem unassailable, tit-for-tat tariffs from China and Europe may ultimately prove detrimental for American businesses and jobs.

U.S. bond yields rose slightly amid the easier mood but concern about the trade row has helped push the gap between two- and 10-year yields to the narrowest since 2007 US2US10=RR .

"Basically (the flat curve) is saying the underlying growth in the U.S. economy may not be as strong as the high short-term interest rates might warrant," McPherson said.

The dollar retreated 0.4 percent against a basket of currencies .DXY and the easing tensions in Germany helped the euro to gain 0.2 percent against the greenback EUR=D3 .

However, many reckon the dollar's three-month winning streak will continue for a while yet. Friday's monthly payrolls data should show labour markets remain tight, keeping the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy tightening on track.

"Notwithstanding the trade war concerns, the broader picture is the U.S. central bank still remains the most hawkish central bank among its peers and that should support the dollar for now," said Jane Foley, senior currency strategist at Rabobank.

<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ CHINA-MARKETS/YUAN

https://reut.rs/2tDhc49 FAANG stocks resilient

https://reut.rs/2IS0W48

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

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.