Asian markets ignore US sell-off
Asian equities are mostly higher today, thanks to a wave of short-covering sharply lifting US index futures in ever thinner liquidity. Nothing has changed in the world, but the pull of buy-the-dip is stronger than anything the Sackler’s made but should also be approached with caution.
Overnight US equities followed the Asian sell-off from early Monday, finishing deeply in the red. The S&P 500 dropped by 1.11%, while the Nasdaq and Dow Jones retreated by 1.23%. In Asian trading, futures on all three have staged a sharp rally, though. S&P 500 futures are 0.60% higher, while Nasdaq futures have jumped by 0.80% and Dow Jones futures have climbed by 0.50%.
That has been enough to sucker the fast-money FOMO gnomes in Asia into action, nowhere more evident than Japan’s Nikkei 225, which has leapt 2.05% higher, whereas South Korea’s Kospi is up only 0.20%, with mainland China’s Shanghai Composite and CSI 300 unchanged. The press is suggesting that more clampdowns could be on the way, which should be a surprise to precisely nobody. Hong Kong has rallied modestly, rising 0.30%.
Singapore has risen by 0.60% with Taipei climbing by 0.55%, while Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta remain stubbornly unchanged. Manila is 0.35% lower, but Bangkok has added 0.60%. Australian markets have also joined in some pre-Christmas cheer, the ASX 200 rising 0.55%, and the All Ordinaries by 0.65%.
European investors may cautiously dip their toes back in the water, assuming US index futures maintain their gains. However, with the omicron situation darkening in the UK and on the continent by the day, I am not expecting much of a rally, if any.
The data calendar in Asia is light this week. The action will be in the US tomorrow with some old news Q3 GDP and PCE Prices, followed by the far more relevant US Personal Income/Spending and Durable Goods for November, plus the weekly Jobless Claims, on Thursday.
