HomeContributorsFundamental AnalysisAsia Trades Generally Higher After Gains On Wall St, UST Yields Extend...

Asia Trades Generally Higher After Gains On Wall St, UST Yields Extend Decline

General Trend

  • Asian markets are generally higher following gains on Wall St, despite the mixed open; Modest moves have been seen thus far; Tech stocks are mostly higher after Nasdaq rise [Hang Seng TECH index rises over 3%; Softbank rises over 2%; Shanghai IT index lags ]; Transports trade generally higher [oil prices extended decline; various US airlines provided guidance]; Financials trade mixed amid decline in 10-year yields
  • Australian equities outperform, reversed the opening decline [Consumer Discretionary and Financial indices rise; Energy and Resources indices lagged]
  • Nikkei is close to session highs after the flat open [Transport, Information & Communication and Real Estate indices are among the outperformers; Banks lag (Nippon Life said to plan to sell shares in regional banks)]
  • Shanghai ended the morning session near the opening level [Consumer Staples index rose; Banks index extended gain; IT index lagged]
  • Hang Seng has pared the opening gain [TECH index rises; Financial and Property indices decline; Xiaomi extended gain on comments from FTSE Russell; China Mobile rises amid A-share speculation ;ZTE is due to report final earnings later today]

Headlines/Economic Data

Australia/New Zealand

  • ASX 200 opened -0.1%
  • AMP.AU Enters agreement with Dexus on AMP Capital Diversified Property Fund
  • (AU) Australia total weekly payroll jobs change for Feb 14th-27th: -0.2% v 0.0% prior; Wages +1.0% v +2.1% prior
  • (AU) Westpac Economist Bill Evans: RBA will likely extend YCC to Nov 2024 bond in order to “maintain credibility” and stay consistent with its economic forecasts
  • (AU) RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA (RBA) MARCH MEETING MINUTES:LATER IN THE YEAR, MEMBERS WILL NEED TO CONSIDER WHETHER TO MAINTAIN APRIL 2024 BOND AS THE TARGET BOND OR SHIFT TO NOV 2024; REITERATES NEGATIVE RATES UNLIKELY
  • (AU) AUSTRALIA Q4 HOUSE PRICE INDEX Q/Q: 3.0% V 2.7%E; Y/Y: 3.6% V 4.7%E

Japan

  • Nikkei 225 opened 0.0%
  • (JP) Bank of Japan (BOJ Gov Kuroda: No change in stance that there are no current plans to issue a central bank digital currency (CBDC), BOJ scheduled to begin experiments on CBDC in spring 2021
  • 0001.JP Said to be selling up to 30% of holdings of regional banks during FY21/22 – Japan press
  • (JP) Japan said to be deciding on Thursday (Mar 18th) Whether to lift coronavirus State of Emergency Early – Press
  • (JP) Japan Fin Min Aso: Confirms cabinet approves cash handouts for low income families; nothing decided on US beef imports
  • (JP) Japan PM Suga: Notes there are too many regional banks, BoJ low interest rate policy is weighing on profitability – Japan press
  • (JP) Japan Jan Final Industrial Production M/M: +4.3% v 4.2% prelim; Y/Y: -5.2% v -5.3% prelim

Korea

  • Kospi opened +0.1%
  • (KR) South Korea Feb Exports Prices Y/Y: +0.2% v -1.9% prior; Import Prices Y/Y: -0.8% v -5.8% prior
  • (KR) Greater Seoul, South Korea to implement tighter curbs on COVID prone facilities and workplaces; expand testing on foreign workers at industrial complexes in the area to better contain the coronavirus – Yonhap

China/Hong Kong

  • Hang Seng opened +0.7%; Shanghai Composite opened +0.1%
  • (CN) Cofco Corp to merge international trading division with several domestic businesses to create a new agricultural commodity company before IPO – US press
  • (CN) China regulator announces regulations for e-commerce platforms; urges e-commerce platforms to act in compliance with its regulations and protect the rights and interests of consumers
  • 1810.HK FTSE Russell says Xiaomi will be eligible for re-inclusion in funds effective June 21st 2021
  • (CN) China PBOC sets Yuan reference rate: 6.5029 v 6.5010 prior
  • (CN) China PBOC Open Market Operation (OMO): Injects CNY10B in 7-day reverse repos v CNY10B in 7-day reverse repos prior; Net CNY0B v CNY0B prior
  • BABA Reportedly working on a disposal plan of media assets due to Chinese officials concerns – press
  • (CN) China President Xi: China will go after “platform” companies that have amassed data and market power – press

Other

  • (IR) Iran said to be considering increasing oil production – US financial press
  • (SG) Singapore Q4 Final Unemployment Rate: 3.3% v 3.2% Prelim (3rd consecutive improvement)

North America

  • TMST To raises prices on special bar quality products, effective May 3rd
  • (US) House reportedly to consider PPP extension tomorrow through May (prior March) – press

Europe

  • (UK) Chancellor of the Exchequer Sunak (Fin Min): spoke with US Treasury Sec Yellen about Special Drawing Rights (SDR) allocations; new SDR allocations would help low income countries
  • (FR) France Central Bank (BoF) Economic Outlook: Raises 2021 GDP to 5.5% (prior 5%); Lowers 2022 to 4.0% (prior 5.0%); affirms 2023 at 2.0%

Levels as of 01:15ET

  • Hang Seng +0.5%; Shanghai Composite +0.4%; Kospi +0.6%; Nikkei225 +0.6%; ASX 200 +0.8%.
  • Equity Futures: S&P500 0.0%; Nasdaq100 +0.4%, Dax -0.1%; FTSE100 -0.3%.
  • EUR 1.1939-1.1922; JPY 109.25-109.09; AUD 0.7760-0.7742; NZD 0.7207-0.7188.
  • Commodity Futures: Gold +0.2% at $1,732/oz; Crude Oil -0.7% at $64.96/brl; Copper -0.2% at $4.13/lb.

 

Trade The News
Trade The Newshttp://www.tradethenews.com/
All information provided by Trade The News (a product of Trade The News, Inc. "referred to as TTN hereafter") is for informational purposes only. Information provided is not meant as investment advice nor is it a recommendation to Buy or Sell securities. Although information is taken from sources deemed reliable, no guarantees or assurances can be made to the accuracy of any information provided. 1. Information can be inaccurate and/or incomplete 2. Information can be mistakenly re-released or be delayed, 3. Information may be incorrect, misread, misinterpreted or misunderstood 4. Human error is a business risk you are willing to assume 5. Technology can crash or be interrupted without notice 6. Trading decisions are the responsibility of traders, not those providing additional information. Trade The News is not liable (financial and/or non-financial) for any losses that may arise from any information provided by TTN. Trading securities involves a high degree of risk, and financial losses can and do occur on a regular basis and are part of the risk of trading and investing.

Featured Analysis

Learn Forex Trading