Trading subdued amid Japanese holiday and ahead of rate decisions

Asia Market Update: Trading subdued amid Japanese holiday and ahead of rate decisions

Headlines/Economic Data

General Trend:

-Asian equity indices trade generally higher, in line with Tuesday’s US session

-Energy producers track outperformance in S&P500 Energy index

-Chinese automaker Geely reports mixed FY17 results

-Tencent rises ahead of earnings report (due after market close)

-G20 releases final communique amid lingering trade tensions

-Fitch affirms China’s sovereign rating but notes risks related to trade

-Aussie (AUD) and Kiwi (NZD) in focus ahead of Thursday’s Australia employment data and RBNZ rate decision

-Australian short interest rates rise ahead of Wednesday’s Fed decision and forecasts

-Canadian Dollar (CAD) and Mexican Peso (MXN) rise amid NAFTA speculation

-Various US companies price secondary offerings ahead of Fed meeting

Australia/New Zealand

ASX 200 opened +0.3%; closed +0.2%

-ASX 200 Energy Index +1.2%, Resources +0.7%, Financials +0.6%; Utilities -0.9%, Telecom -0.7%, REIT -0.6%

-Nufarm [NUF.AU] rose over 5% after reporting H1 results and issuing guidance.

- (AU) Australia sells A$1.0B v A$1.0B indicated in 2.25% Nov 21 2022 Bonds, avg yield 2.3449% v 2.3582% prior, bid to cover 3.94x v 4.10x prior

- (NZ) New Zealand Feb Credit Card Spending M/M: +0.7% v -0.6% prior; Y/Y: 7.0% v 4.6% prior

China/Hong Kong

-Shanghai Composite opened +0.3%, Hang Seng +0.9%

-Hang Seng Energy Index +2.5%, Property/Construction +2.3%, Info Tech +1.4%, Financials +0.8%

Shanghai Composite Property index rises over 1%

-(CN) US Treasury Sec Mnuchin: I discussed with PBOC Chief Zhou the importance of bilateral economic relationship and fair and reciprocal trade

-(CN) China Vice Commerce Min: China will actively take measures to safeguard domestic industries’ interests in response to US trade investigations

-(CN) Fitch affirms China sovereign rating at A+; Trade tensions with the US have clearly risen, posing downside risk to Fitch's baseline outlook

-(CN) PBoC Gov Zhou: China's economy better than expected - G20 Central Bank Gov Meeting

-(CN) PBoC sets yuan reference rate at 6.3396 v 6.3246 prior

-(CN) China PBoC Open Market Operation (OMO): Skips OMO (second straight session) v skipped prior; Net: drain CNY40B v CNY40B drain prior

Japan

-Nikkei 225 closed for holiday

- (JP) BoJ Gov Kuroda: Fed or any other central bank would undoubtedly normalize if their economies are in good shape and they achieve price targets; Does not believe normalization will have a direct negative effect on global growth; Normalization concern was not a key topic at G-20

-(JP) Japan LDP Policy Chief Kishida: Japan needs exit strategy from 'easy money', reiterates relaxed monetary policy needs to remain for now

Korea

-Kospi opened +0.1%

-SK Innovation [096770.KR] to acquire shale assets in the US

-(KR) Bank of Korea Gov Lee: Reiterates need to keep policy interest rate accommodative as inflationary pressure is not strong from demand side; Declines comment on timing of next rate hike - Parliamentary Hearing

-(KR) South Korea March 1-20 Exports Y/Y: 9.3%; Imports Y/Y: 5.8%

-(KR) South Korea President Moon said to note summit between South Korea/North Korea/US is possible - South Korea Press

North America

-US equity markets ended mostly higher: Dow +0.5%, S&P500 +0.2%, Nasdaq +0.3%, Russell 2000 flat

-S&P500 Energy +0.9%; Utilities -0.5%

-FedEx [FDX]: Reports Q3 $3.79 v $3.09e, Rev $16.5B v $16.2Be; Raises Adj FY18 $15.00-15.40 v $13.51e (prior $12.70-13.30)

-Nordstrom [JWN] declines over 2% in the after hours: Board’s special committee terminated talks with Nordstrom Family after the parties were unable to agree on price.

-(US) US government said to drop demand on Canada and Mexico autos in NAFTA talks - Canadian Press

-(US) Airlines including Delta and American said to cancel flights ahead of expected storm in the Northeast

-(US) Weekly API Oil Inventories: Crude: -2.7M v +1.2M prior

Europe

-G20 draft communique: recognize need for further dialogue and actions on trade issues; Leaders to stand by language from last year's Hamburg statement (which said members "recognize the role of legitimate trade defense instruments")

-G20 releases final communique: Confirms leaders recognize need for further dialogue and action on trade

-(EU) Germany Fin Min Scholz: biggest worry at G20 meeting was potential trade war with US

-(EU) ECB’s Visco (Italy): G20 agrees that trade wars are negative sum games; haven't heard any voices at the G20 against multilateralism

-(UK) EU chief Brexit negotiator Barnier: We have a clear UK commitment on the Ireland border; The Ireland backstop solution will be included in the Brexit treaty

-Ubisoft [UBI.FR]: Vivendi agrees to sell its 27.3% interest in Ubisoft to Tencent and Ontario Teachers for €2B; Ubisoft signs strategic partnership with Tencent to promote games in China

Levels as of 01:00ET

- Hang Seng +1.1%; Shanghai Composite +0.5%; Kospi +0.1%

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

- EUR 1.2240-1.2267 ; JPY 106.43-106.56; AUD 0.7680-0.7704 ;NZD 0.7168-0.7189

- Feb Gold +0.1% at $1,313/oz; Feb Crude Oil +0.2% at $63.66/brl; Mar Copper +0.1% at $3.041/lb