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Asian shares slide on US rate cut rethink; China GDP beats estimates

Asian stocks fell and the dollar reached more than fivemonth highs on Tuesday as strongerthanexpected U.S. retail sales for March even more strengthened expectations that the Federal Reserve is unlikely to remain in a rush to cut rates of interest this year.

Rising geopolitical stress kept danger sentiment in check, lifting rates of gold and oil, while information revealed China's. economy grew 5.3% in the very first quarter year-on-year, quickly. beating experts' expectations.

The data from China was a welcome indication for policymakers. as they try to fortify demand and self-confidence in the face of a. drawn-out home crisis. The government is aiming for. economic development of around 5.0% for 2024, a target that many. analysts think is ambitious and may need more stimulus.

China stocks, tracking wider markets, were lower, with the. blue-chip index down 0.36%, while Hong Kong's Hang. Seng Index moved 1.27%.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan. fell 1.76% to a nearly two-month low of 519.93,. with Japan's Nikkei down 1.9%.

U.S. stocks closed greatly lower on Monday as a jump in. Treasury yields weighed on belief in the middle of issues about increasing. tensions between Iran and Israel.

Israelis awaited word on how Prime Minister Benjamin. Netanyahu would respond to Iran's first-ever direct attack on. their nation. Netanyahu on Monday summoned his war cabinet for. the 2nd time in less than 24 hours to weigh a response to. Iran's weekend missile and drone attack, a government source. said.

The markets have come alive with the noise of derisking,. deleveraging, hedging and broad handling of risk direct exposures,. said Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone.

There is definitely not much in the news circulation to inspire. risk-taking and there is a growing list of elements to refrain. from buying and to manage exposures.

U.S. retail sales rose 0.7% last month, the Commerce. Department's Census Bureau stated on Monday, while economists. polled had anticipated retail sales, which are mostly. products and are not changed for inflation, would rise 0.3%.

The stronger-than-expected data comes after a report last. week underscored inflation stays stickier than markets had. expected, leading to an extreme scaling back of rate cuts this. year.

Traders now expect 45 basis points of cuts this year,. down from more than 160 bps in expected alleviating at the start of. the year. Markets are now pricing in September, instead of June,. to be the starting point for rate cuts, according to CME. FedWatch Tool.

The yield on 10-year Treasury notes was at. 4.610% in Asian hours having actually surged to a five-month high of. 4.663% on Monday.

The elevated yields enhanced the dollar and kept the yen. near 34-year lows it has actually been rooted at in the past. few days.

The dollar index, which determines the U.S. currency. versus 6 rivals, was up 0.122% at 106.33, having risen 0.189%. overnight. The yen damaged to 154.42, leading to fresh worries. over intervention and comments from authorities.

Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said on Tuesday he. was closely seeing currency relocations and will offer a comprehensive. action as required after the dollar rose to a fresh 34-year. high.

Carol Kong, a currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of. Australia, said raised oil costs and expectations of higher-. for-longer U.S. interest rates are underpinning the dollar/yen. exchange rate.

The dollar/yen remains at risk of pulling back greatly. must the Ministry of Finance choose to step into the FX. markets and buy JPY. The weaker the JPY stays, the higher the. risk that the Bank of Japan will provide an earlier rate walking in. our view.

In products, U.S. crude rose 0.76% to $86.06 per. barrel and Brent was at $90.72, up 0.69% on the day on. increasing stress in the Middle East.

Area gold was last at $2,381.50 an ounce.

(source: Reuters)