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MORNING BID ASIA-Yen rattled by Japan PM's 'unseemly' rate comments

A take a look at the day ahead in Asian markets.

Japanese markets, particularly the forexes, continue to absorb the rather blunt talk about financial policy from brand-new prime minister Shigeru Ishiba after he consulted with Bank of Japan guv Kazuo Ueda on Wednesday.

I do not think that we are in an environment that would require us to raise interest rates even more, Ishiba said, stimulating a big wave of yen selling. The yen shed practically 2% versus the dollar on Wednesday, its biggest fall given that February in 2015. Omitting the pandemic-related volatility of March 2020, it was among the steepest decreases in over a years.

Conferences between Japan's prime minister and reserve bank governor are not uncommon, but this one came just days after Ishiba took workplace. His comments were unusually direct too - somewhat unseemly, according to Washington-based economic expert Phil Suttle. Analysts at JP Morgan reckon the Ishiba administration will adopt a market-friendly policy position until next summertime when the upper house election is set up, which ought to relieve market concerns about development. The yen's plunge shows how severe market positioning has ended up being. U.S. futures market information reveal hedge funds are holding their greatest 'long' yen position because 2016 and among their biggest ever.

Asahi Noguchi, a dovish BOJ board member who dissented versus the reserve bank's rate walking in July, on Thursday delivers a speech and holds a media conference, where he is likely to be asked about Ishiba's comments.

In other places in Asia, Thailand's finance minister Pichai Chunhavajira and central bank chief Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput speak at a central bank occasion on Thursday.

Asia's financial calendar sees the release of acquiring managers index information from Australia and Singapore, and the current global trade figures from Australia. The dollar's rally against the yen and U.S. economic information on Wednesday helped lift the greenback to a three-week high versus a basket of currencies and register its third daily increase of around 0.5%. Intensifying stress in between Iran and Israel continue to sustain safe-haven need for the dollar and the rebound in oil rates. Brent crude rose above $76 a barrel for the first time in a. month, however only ended the day up around 1%. Investors will also be evaluating news that France, Greece, Italy. and Poland will vote on Friday in favor of hefty tariffs of up. to 45% on imports of electric automobiles made in China. That could. push through the European Union's greatest profile trade. steps, running the risk of possible retaliation from Beijing.

How will Germany vote? Finance Minister Christian Lindner. said the country should oppose the EU proposition, including: A trade. war with China would do us more damage than good for a secret. European market and a crucial sector in Germany.

Here are crucial developments that could offer more instructions. to Asian markets on Thursday:

- Australia trade (August)

- Japan, Australia, Singapore PMIs (September)

- Hong Kong retail sales (August)

(source: Reuters)