HONG KONG, Nov 19, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Asian markets mostly rose Monday but
investors were keeping a close eye on the China-US trade row after Donald
Trump’s optimistic comments on a possible deal were offset by a war of words
between his vice president and Xi Jinping.
The mood across the region was a little calmer at the start of the week,
providing some much-needed support after the volatility of seven days ago,
with oil stabilising and the Federal Reserve tempering fears about its plans
for interest rate hikes.
US markets provided a positive lead after Trump said Friday that Beijing
had made overtures toward resolving their trade war, meaning he might hold
off imposing another round of tariffs.
The president’s comments followed an indication from one of his top
economics advisers that talks were under way ahead of a planned meeting at
the G20 in Argentina at the end of this month.
However, hopes for an early agreement were jolted by a spat at the weekend
APEC meeting between Mike Pence and Xi over China’s economic and regional
ambitions, with the US vice president mocking Beijing’s “constricting belt”
and a “one-way road” initiative.
Xi defended his scheme and hit out at Trump’s “America First” protectionist
agenda, saying it was a “short-sighted approach” that was “doomed to
failure”.
The stark differences between the two sides meant the APEC gathering ended
without a final communique for the first time in its history.
Still, investors in Asia were in a buying mood Monday as they picked up
bargains.
In early trade Hong Kong was up 0.5 percent and Shanghai added 0.4 percent
while Tokyo ended the morning 0.4 percent higher.
– ‘Canary in a coal mine’ –
Seoul gained 0.3 percent and Taipei added 0.1 percent with Manila jumping
more than one percent.
However, Sydney dropped 0.6 percent, Singapore was off 0.4 percent and
Wellington eased 0.2 percent.
There was also some support from comments by top Fed officials last week
hinting at concerns about the global economic outlook, indicating they see
signs of slowing that could affect their plans for raising borrowing costs.
Expectations the US central bank would press ahead with a series of hikes
well into next year, making debts more expensive for investors, have helped
send global markets down this year.
But while the prospect of slower rate hikes would be cause for celebration,
Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trade at OANDA, sounded a note of
caution.
“A Fed pause during a hiking cycle is a very strong ‘canary in a coal mine’
type of signal and could eventually lead a more profound correction lower in
US equity markets if the US economy does sputter,” he said.
Oil prices rose more than one percent, extending gains from the end of last
week after major producer Saudi Arabia said it plans to cut output and called
on other producers to follow suit.
“Hope is building on OPEC Plus (countries) to curb output as oil prices
have entered into a bear market, falling over 20 percent from the peak in
early October when Brent was at $86 per barrel,” Margaret Yang Yan, market
analyst at CMC Markets Singapore.
However, the commodity remains under pressure from concerns about global
demand and rising output as well as the China-US trade war.
On currency markets the pound managed to hold off falling further as
attention turns to British Prime Minister Theresa May’s attempts to win over
enough members of her party to push through her Brexit deal.
– Key figures around 0230 GMT –
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.4 percent at 21,755.46 (break)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng: UP 0.5 percent at 26,316.14
Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.4 percent at 2,689.86
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2832 from $1.2826 at 2200 GMT Friday
Euro/pound: DOWN at 88.92 pence from 88.99 pence
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1411 from $1.1415
Oil – West Texas Intermediate: UP 74 cents at $57.20
Oil – Brent Crude: UP 72 cents at $67.48 per barrel
London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.3 percent at 7,013.88 (close)
New York – Dow: UP 0.8 percent at 25,290.39 (close)