Asian shares waver as Hong Kong tensions spoil the festive mood

by Theleaders-Online | November 28, 2019 3:45 am

Asian share markets wobbled today as concerns that tensions over Hong Kong may stymie a US-China trade deal [1]cast a pall over Thanksgiving cheer from positive US economic data.

US President Donald Trump yesterday signed into law legislation backing pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. China’s Foreign Ministry promptly warned of unspecified “firm countermeasures” in response.

That put a lid on a week of gains for MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS. The benchmark fell almost 0.1%.

Japan’s Nikkei .N225, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng .HSI and Shanghai blue chips .CSI200 flitted in and out of positive territory, as momentum ebbed.

E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 ESc1 fell 0.3%, while EUROSTOXX 50 futures STXEc1 fell 0.1%.

The news was shrugged off in the Antipodes, though, with Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 and New Zealand’s NZ50 .NZ50 following Wall Street’s march to record highs.

“I think it could easily get a lot worse,” said Kay Van-Petersen, global macro strategist at Saxo Capital Markets in Singapore, as investors await more details on China’s response.

“We could potentially see a greater chance of a move downwards based on what happens in the next 24-48 hours.”

The next round of US tariffs on Chinese goods is due to take effect on Dec. 15.

Wall Street indexes hit fresh record highs overnight, buoyed by trade deal hopes and data showing US economic growth picked up slightly in the third quarter, rather than slowing as first reported.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI rose 0.15%, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 0.42% and the Nasdaq .IXIC added 0.66%. US markets are closed for Thanksgiving today.

Other data showed the number of Americans filing claims for jobless benefits fell. There are signs the downturn in business investment may be drawing to a close and the US Federal Reserve said the outlook was bright.

“Concerns the US economy may be turning down, to the point where the Fed might have to resume policy easing next year, have been somewhat assuaged,” said Ray Attrill, head of FX strategy at National Australia Bank.

“So relief all round.”

‘Hong Kong jitters’

Currency and commodity markets were more circumspect.

The dollar and trade-exposed currencies were spurned for safe-havens such as the Japanese yen after Trump signed the Hong Kong bills into law.

The laws are viewed as supportive for anti-government protesters in the city, since they threaten sanctions for human rights violations and seek to safeguard Hong Kong’s autonomy.

But the move was denounced by China as interference in domestic affairs.

“It’s displeasing to the Chinese side,” said Westpac FX analyst Imre Speizer. “And we are getting close to the point when this deal needs to get signed … the market’s reacting to it as though it might put a snag in the works.”

The yen rose 0.1% to 109.46 yen per dollar, while riskier currencies such as the Australian dollar AUD= fell by the same margin to US$0.6768.

The British pound bobbed higher after a model for pollsters YouGov, which accurately predicted the 2017 election, said Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on course to win a fat majority in parliament at the Dec. 12 election.

Gold was 0.1% higher at $1456.26 per ounce.

US crude dipped 0.43% to $57.86 a barrel. Brent crude fell to US$63.86 per barrel.

Reuters

Endnotes:
  1. US-China trade deal : https://theleaders-online.com/oil-slips-as-us-stocks-rise-but-hopes-for-us-china-trade-deal-stem-losses/

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