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Stocks dip, shifts in FX unsettle traders

Global shares had a hard time for traction on Tuesday as mixed messages from U.S. policymakers and a wobble in the Chinese yuan left traders unsettled and tentative ahead of Friday's release of U.S. inflation data.

The risk of Japan stepping in to avoid additional falls in the yen squeezed the dollar. It increased versus the yuan on speculation that China may endure a weaker currency.

The MSCI All-World index was barely changed on the day, as Europe got off to a weak start and belief in China and Hong Kong stayed vulnerable after Friday's sudden slide in the yuan. S&P 500 futures rose 0.3%.

In the spotlight was the yen, which has actually been trading near to its weakest against the dollar since 1990, even after the Bank of Japan raised interest rates for the first time in 17 years recently.

The 14% decline in the yen's value over the last 12 months fed a surge in Tokyo's Nikkei index to record highs this month, but stirred concern among Japanese officials that the recent depreciation is bothersome.

FX was the wallflower for the majority of Q1, when we had record highs for stocks, XTB research director Kathleen Brooks stated.

We've got changing sands in the FX market. You've got danger of intervention from Japan ... and from China. It's good to see that they do in fact appreciate the economy and they are wiling to step in. It's not rather the stimulus we want, however they are saying 'sufficient is enough now, we do require to fret about our deflation', she stated.

The yen strengthened a touch on Tuesday, leaving the dollar down 0.1% at 151.25.

Monday's rhetoric from Japan's top currency diplomat, Masato Kanda, kept the yen steady as traders weighed the danger of Japan purchasing heavily. Kanda said the yen's current slide was strange. and speculative.

Yuan, which the Chinese central bank. repaired at a firmer level previously in the day, also gained ground. on the dollar, which fell 0.1% in the offshore market to 7.2464 .

Markets have actually been unsettled because Friday's sharp drop in the. yuan after months of tight trading, and some hypothesize China is. loosening its grip on the currency to permit it to fall.

Whether this reflects a shift in FX policy remains to be. seen but accommodative monetary conditions are needed in the. face of growth headwinds, said BofA Securities' strategist. Adarsh Sinha.

If (yuan) depreciation sustains and corresponds with a weaker. credit impulse, Asia FX is vulnerable.

COMBINED OUTLOOKS

On Monday, a blended outlook from Federal Reserve authorities. threw a few wild cards into the policy outlook while markets. wait on the next U.S. inflation indicators due on Great Friday.

Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee stated he had actually pencilled. in three rate cuts this year, while Fed Governor Lisa Cook advised. care and Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic reiterated. Friday remarks trimming his expectations to one cut.

Comments by FOMC participants recommend to us that four. citizens-- Bostic, Bowman, Mester, and Barkin-- see zero, one or. 2 cuts this year, said Standard Chartered strategist Steve. Englander.

We still think (chairman Jerome) Powell has eight votes for. alleviating, but he probably does not desire an 8-4 vote on the first. cut of the cycle. Rather, he may hope that excellent inflation. outcomes will enable him to swing a couple of votes into the. cutting camp in the coming months.

U.S. rate of interest futures cost about 3 Fed rate cuts. this year and about a three-in-four chance of the first cut in. June.

U.S. two-year yields, which track short-term. rate of interest expectations, held steady at 4.589% in Europe.

Later on Tuesday, U.S. manufacturing, services and customer. confidence figures are due. U.S. core PCE information is due on Friday.

Gold and oil prices were broadly consistent in products. trade, with area gold up 0.5% at $2,181 an ounce, while. Brent crude futures increased 0.2% to $86.86.

Bitcoin hovered simply above $70,000 after rising. sharply on Monday.

(source: Reuters)