Latest News

Stocks fail, dollar weak after US presidential argument; CPI in focus

Asian equities and U.S. stock futures slipped on Wednesday, while the dollar was on the back foot after a feisty U.S. governmental debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump kept financiers on edge.

The governmental hopefuls fought over abortion, the economy, immigration and Trump's legal issues at their combative initially dispute, leaving investors skittish ahead of U.S. inflation data that could affect the Fed's policy moves next week.

The MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dropped 0.3%, S&P 500 futures eased 0.5%, while the dollar was on the defensive, with the yen rising over 1% to eight-month highs.

European stock markets were set for a soft open, with Eurostoxx 50 futures 0.19% lower, German DAX futures bit altered and FTSE futures down 0.17%.

Harris' late entry in the governmental race after President Joe Biden's withdrawal in July has tightened the race, triggering a turnaround of trades that were put in place on expectations of a. 2nd Trump presidency.

Investors are focusing on fiscal policies and plans for the. economy from the prospects however the argument was light on specific. details, although wagering markets swung in Harris' favour after. the occasion. In an increase to the Harris project, pop megastar. Taylor Swift said she would back Harris in the Nov. 5 election.

With the dust settling on the Trump vs Harris governmental. debate, it's clear that the market saw this argument going to. Kamala Harris, stated Chris Weston, head of research study at. Pepperstone.

This argument was never going to be a workout in digging. deep into the weeds and into the granularity of the respective. policies, and we're definitely not considerably better on that. front.

The dollar index, which determines the U.S. currency against six peers, was down 0.3% at 101.34, with the. yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury note. alleviating 2.4 basis points to 3.62%.

You 'd expect if he (Trump) was doing better, that you 'd see. a strong dollar coming out of this. So I expect that's the way. the market is looking at it. It's a small lean towards Harris,. said Rob Carnell, ING's regional head of research study for. Asia-Pacific

Japan's Nikkei sank almost 2%, while Chinese stocks fell. again. The Shanghai Composite index was 0.92% lower. while the blue-chip index alleviated 0.46%. Hong Kong's. Hang Seng index slipped 1.4%.

INFLATION WATCH

Investor focus will now be on the U.S. Labor Department's. consumer price index report later Wednesday for policy ideas. although the Federal Reserve has made it clear employment has. taken on a greater focus than inflation.

The heading CPI is anticipated to have increased 0.2% on a. month-on-month basis in August, according to a Reuters survey,. unchanged from the previous month.

While the Fed is extensively expected to cut rates of interest next. week, the size of the rate cut is still up for argument,. particularly after a blended labour report on Friday stopped working to. supply clearness on which method the reserve bank might go.

What we needed to see to spur the Fed into greater action. would be much more obvious proof of slowdown/recession, and. in specific in the labour market. And I do not think we saw. that in the last payrolls report, said ING's Carnell.

Markets are currently pricing in 65% possibility of the U.S. reserve bank cutting rates by 25 basis points, while 35% opportunity. is ascribed for a 50 bp cut when the Fed delivers its decision. on Sept. 18, CME FedWatch tool showed.

The dollar stayed defensive, with the yen. enhancing more than 1% to 140.71 per dollar, the highest. given that late December. The yen was also boosted by comments from. Bank of Japan board member Junko Nakagawa.

Nakagawa reiterated in a speech that the reserve bank would. continue to raise rates of interest if the economy and inflation. move in line with its projections.

In commodities, oil costs stabilised on Wednesday after. dropping over 3% in the previous session, however still hovered near. their least expensive in 3 years after OPEC+ revised down its need. forecast for this year and 2025.

Brent unrefined futures was last 0.43% greater at $69.49. a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude increased. 0.46% to $66.03 a barrel.

(source: Reuters)