- Asian equities flash losses fearing the worst of US-China tussle is yet to come.
- Media reports downplay impacts of the Hong Kong Act on the phase-one deal.
- A lack of major data/event adds to the market’s extension of the previous risk-off.
Asian stocks flash negatives with the MSCI index of Asia Pacific shares (ex-Japan) marking near 1.30% of loss by the press time of pre-European session on Friday.
The reason could be fears of the worst to come after China warned to blacklist the writers of the Hong Kong Human Rights Democracy Act. Even so, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) published a story citing no change in sentiment concerning the trade deal between the United States (US) and China.
Not only MSCI’s broad equity gauge but markets in Japan, India, China and Hong Kong also keep the red. Japan’s NIKKEI loses 0.5% while Chinese stocks are near a 1.0% loss. Further, Hong Kong’s HANG SENG becomes the biggest loser with -2.21% on the face of its while writing whereas Indonesia’s IDX Composite bucks the trend with a gain of 0.72%. With this, the US 10-year Treasury yields cling to 1.77% by the press time.
Moving on, Korea’s KOSPI losses 1.40% after the Bank of Korea (BOK) held monetary policy unchanged while India’s BSE SENSEX drops 0.80% as markets anticipate a 26 quarter low of Indian growth figures, up for publishing at 12:00 GMT. Additionally, Australia and New Zealand seem to have flashed mixed results on the back of early-day second-tier economic data at home.
The economic calendar has fewer catalysts, except from India, Germany and Eurozone, while the half trading session in the US could also restrict today’s market volatility.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD trades weak below 1.0800 amid Good Friday lull, ahead of US PCE
EUR/USD remains depressed below 1.0800, as traders lack directional impetus amid minimal volatility and thin liquidity on Good Friday. The pair keenly awaits the US PCE inflation data and Fed Chair Powell's speech for fresh hints on next week's price action.
GBP/USD holds steady above 1.2600 as markets stay calm on Good Friday
GBP/USD trades sideways above 1.2600 amid a typical Good Friday trading lull. A broadly firmer US Dollar could keep any upside attempts limited in the pair ahead of the US PCE inflation data and Fed Chair Powell's appearance.
Gold ends Q1 2024 at record highs, what’s next?
Gold is sitting at an all-time high of $2,236, lacking a trading impetus amid holiday-thinned conditions on Good Friday. Most major world markets, including the United States are closed in observance of Holy Friday, leaving volatility around Gold price highly subdued.
Ripple's move above this key level could trigger nearly 50% rally for XRP
Ripple price has overcome a critical resistance level and flipped into a support floor on the weekly time frame. This development happened while XRP tightly consolidated for roughly 250 days.
US core PCE inflation set to ease in February on month as Federal Reserve rate cut bets for June mount
The core Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index is set to rise 0.3% MoM and 2.8% YoY in February. The revised Summary of Projections showed that policymakers upwardly revised end-2024 core PCE forecast to 2.6% from 2.4%.