Quiet trading session for Asia, NZ 10-yr yields extend decline, track USTs

Asia Market Update: Quiet trading session for Asia; NZ 10-yr yields extend decline, track USTs; US Fed decision [Jun 16th] is among the key events for next week; RBA also in focus.

General trend

- Asian equity indices opened generally higher after modest gains on Wall St.

- Nikkei is currently flat after opening slightly higher.

- Shanghai Composite lagged during the morning session [Consumer Staples and Liquor firms underperformed; Financials also dropped amid release of monthly banking stats].

- Hang Seng ended morning trading near the opening level (+0.4%).

- S&P ASX 200 has moved higher after opening flat [Gainers include Resources, Energy and Utilities indices; Financials lag].

- RBA June meeting minutes due on Jun 15th (Tues).

- RBA Gov Lowe is due to speak on Jun 17th (Thurs) [title of speech is ‘From Recovery to Expansion’].

- Companies expected to report during the NY morning include Cheetah Mobile.

Headlines/Economic data

Australia/New Zealand

- ASX 200 opened flat.

- (AU) Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA): Excess cash at exchange settlement (ES) accounts at A$ 252.8B v A$249.5B prior (Record high).

- (NZ) Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) offers to buy a total of NZ$220M in government bonds next week under QE program v NZ$250M prior.

- (NZ) New Zealand May Business Manufacturing PMI: 58.6 v 58.3 prior.

China/Hong Kong

- Hang Seng opened +0.4%, Shanghai Composite +0.1%.

- (CN) CHINA MAY M2 MONEY SUPPLY Y/Y: 8.3% V 8.1%E [from Jun 10th].

- (CN) CHINA MAY NEW YUAN LOANS (CNY): 1.400T V 1.500TE [from Jun 10th].

- (CN) CHINA MAY AGGREGATE FINANCING (CNY): 1.920T V 2.000TE [from Jun 10th].

- (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 Net CNY0B prior.

- (CN) China PBOC sets Yuan reference rate: 6.3856 v 6.3972 prior.

- (CN) Former PBOC Official Hu Xiaolian: Warns China to not weaponize yuan (CNY) internationalization; Internationalization still at early stage.

- (CN) China Ministry of Finance (MOF) Sells 30-year bonds: avg yield 3.6457% v 3.6190% prior; bid to cover 2.77x.

- (CN) China State Planner (NDRC): Will no longer issue subsidies for solar plants or onshore wind projects for remainder of 2021.

- (CN) China to allow people from Taiwan to come to Mainland China to get the coronavirus vaccination.

Japan

- Nikkei 225 opened +0.2%.

- (JP) Nikkei 225 June Options settle at 29,046.

- *(JP) JAPAN Q2 BSI LARGE ALL INDUSTRY Q/Q: -4.7 V -5.5E; LARGE MANUFACTURING Q/Q: -1.4 V +1.6 PRIOR.

- (JP) Japan govt considering lifting virus emergency regulations in Tokyo on June 20th - Japanese press.

- (JP) Japan Econ Min Nishimura: The number of new coronavirus infections on declining trend.

- (JP) Japan Fin Min Aso: G7 leaders are continuing talks on Digital tax; Expects China to be in discussion topics at G7.

Korea

- Kospi opened +0.1%

- (KR) Bank of Korea (BOK) Gov Lee: To normalize policy if recovery is certain; Household debt has become more serious recently; Economic recovery to become clearer in H2.

- (KR) South Korea June 1-10 Imports Y/Y: 31.0% v 51.5% prior; Exports Y/Y: 40.9% v 81.2% prior.

- (KR) South Korea Apr Export Price Index Y/Y: 12.3% v 10.6% prior; Import Price Index Y/Y: 13.8% v 15.0% prior.

- (KR) South Korea to extend social distancing measures for additional 3-weeks.

- (KR) South Korea sells 50-year bonds: avg yield 2.165% v 2.230% prior.

North America

- (US) White House statement: To work with bipartisan group of Senators on infrastructure bill.

Europe

- (EU) Three ECB policymakers reportedly sought to cut PEPP pace at today's meeting, according to sources - press.

- (IR) US lifts sanctions on some Iran oil officials while adding certain other people onto the list.

Levels as of 1:20 ET

- Nikkei 225, flat, ASX 200 +0.2% , Hang Seng +0.5%; Shanghai Composite -0.4% ; Kospi +0.7%.

- Equity S&P500 Futures: flat; Nasdaq100 +0.1%, Dax +0.1%; FTSE100 +0.2%.

- EUR 1.2191-1.2168 ; JPY 109.45-109.32 ; AUD 0.7759-0.7744 ;NZD 0.7207-0.7185.

- Gold +0.3% at $1,902/oz; Crude Oil -0.3% at $70.08/brl; Copper +0.1% at $4.4932/lb.