Asian markets strike cautious tone ahead of Fed meeting
Investors are preparing for the outcome of the Federal Reserve’s meeting and any hints about faster tightening of monetary policy
26 January 2022 - 07:29
byStella Qiu and Alun John
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A pedestrian looks at an electronic stock board displaying the Nikkei 225 Stock Average outside a securities firm in Tokyo, Japan. Picture: BLOOMBERG/KIYOSHI OTA
Beijing — Asian share markets got off to a cautious start on Wednesday, after another volatile Wall Street session, as investors braced for the outcome of the Fed’s meeting late in the day and any hints about faster tightening of monetary policy.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.26% early on Wednesday, but the index has skidded 2.4% so far in 2022, and is testing mid-December’s one-year low.
The concern that the Fed’s expected interest rate hikes could hammer Asia’s equities markets has dragged on the regional benchmark, though moves elsewhere have been even more dramatic.
Globally, US stocks posted their worst week since 2020 last week, and MSCI’s world index is on course for its biggest monthly drop since the Covid-19 pandemic hit markets in March 2020.
Japan’s Nikkei lost 0.8% to hover around its lowest level since December 2020.
The Fed is due to update its policy plan later on Wednesday, likely fleshing out timing for expected rate hikes and shrinking its huge balance sheet.
“Asian markets are currently being affected by volatility in global markets, concerns about Fed tightening in the face of higher inflation and uncertainty about events in Russia and Ukraine,” said Mansoor Mohi-uddin, chief economist at Bank of Singapore.
Growing tension as Russian troops massed on Ukraine’s border has added to a risk-averse environment for investors.
“We expect the Fed meeting, however, will not add to volatility. The central bank is set to only finish its quantitative easing in March and while it will signal interest rates are likely to be raised in March too, the Fed will endorse market expectations for quarterly 25 basis point hikes for its fed funds rate rather than more aggressive tightening this year,” Mohi-uddin added.
Money markets are priced for a first rate hike by the Fed in March, with three more quarter-point increases by year-end.
Fed tightening is putting pressure on some central banks in Asia to follow suit, potentially hurting their equity markets as happened in 2013 when the US central bank began tapering its post financial crisis stimulus.
“As long as turbulence remains relatively contained to equity markets, the bar for the Fed becoming dovish is high,” said analysts at Nomura in a note.
They said they thought some of the Fed’s policy committee would interpret the latest sell off in equities as potentially taking out some of the “froth” in the market, so it would not change their view, especially amid worries about high inflation.
In early trade Wednesday morning, China’s blue-chip index rose 0.4%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was up 0.6%.
Hao Hong, head of research at Bocom International, expects limited appetite from investors to hold big positions in Asia after heavy market selling, as the Chinese New Year approaches.
US treasuries were steady on Wednesday, with yields on two-year notes at 1.0273%, holding onto gains made earlier this month. The yield on benchmark 10-year treasury notes was 1.7814%, a little below the two-year high of 1.9% hit last week.
S&P 500 futures fell 0.13% and Nasdaq futures were flat.
On the previous trading day, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.19%, the S&P 500 lost 1.22% and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.28%.
The dollar index against a basket of major currencies was mostly unchanged, though the US greenback lost some ground against the safe-haven yen, which has benefited from a flight to safety in recent months, and the Australian dollar.
US crude fell 0.4% on Wednesday to $85.26 a barrel and Brent crude eased 0.16% to $88.04 a barrel.
Spot gold added 0.1% to $1,848.41/oz, having hit a two month high overnight as investors sought safety.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Asian markets strike cautious tone ahead of Fed meeting
Investors are preparing for the outcome of the Federal Reserve’s meeting and any hints about faster tightening of monetary policy
Beijing — Asian share markets got off to a cautious start on Wednesday, after another volatile Wall Street session, as investors braced for the outcome of the Fed’s meeting late in the day and any hints about faster tightening of monetary policy.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.26% early on Wednesday, but the index has skidded 2.4% so far in 2022, and is testing mid-December’s one-year low.
The concern that the Fed’s expected interest rate hikes could hammer Asia’s equities markets has dragged on the regional benchmark, though moves elsewhere have been even more dramatic.
Globally, US stocks posted their worst week since 2020 last week, and MSCI’s world index is on course for its biggest monthly drop since the Covid-19 pandemic hit markets in March 2020.
Japan’s Nikkei lost 0.8% to hover around its lowest level since December 2020.
The Fed is due to update its policy plan later on Wednesday, likely fleshing out timing for expected rate hikes and shrinking its huge balance sheet.
“Asian markets are currently being affected by volatility in global markets, concerns about Fed tightening in the face of higher inflation and uncertainty about events in Russia and Ukraine,” said Mansoor Mohi-uddin, chief economist at Bank of Singapore.
Growing tension as Russian troops massed on Ukraine’s border has added to a risk-averse environment for investors.
“We expect the Fed meeting, however, will not add to volatility. The central bank is set to only finish its quantitative easing in March and while it will signal interest rates are likely to be raised in March too, the Fed will endorse market expectations for quarterly 25 basis point hikes for its fed funds rate rather than more aggressive tightening this year,” Mohi-uddin added.
Money markets are priced for a first rate hike by the Fed in March, with three more quarter-point increases by year-end.
Fed tightening is putting pressure on some central banks in Asia to follow suit, potentially hurting their equity markets as happened in 2013 when the US central bank began tapering its post financial crisis stimulus.
“As long as turbulence remains relatively contained to equity markets, the bar for the Fed becoming dovish is high,” said analysts at Nomura in a note.
They said they thought some of the Fed’s policy committee would interpret the latest sell off in equities as potentially taking out some of the “froth” in the market, so it would not change their view, especially amid worries about high inflation.
In early trade Wednesday morning, China’s blue-chip index rose 0.4%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was up 0.6%.
Hao Hong, head of research at Bocom International, expects limited appetite from investors to hold big positions in Asia after heavy market selling, as the Chinese New Year approaches.
US treasuries were steady on Wednesday, with yields on two-year notes at 1.0273%, holding onto gains made earlier this month. The yield on benchmark 10-year treasury notes was 1.7814%, a little below the two-year high of 1.9% hit last week.
S&P 500 futures fell 0.13% and Nasdaq futures were flat.
On the previous trading day, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.19%, the S&P 500 lost 1.22% and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.28%.
The dollar index against a basket of major currencies was mostly unchanged, though the US greenback lost some ground against the safe-haven yen, which has benefited from a flight to safety in recent months, and the Australian dollar.
US crude fell 0.4% on Wednesday to $85.26 a barrel and Brent crude eased 0.16% to $88.04 a barrel.
Spot gold added 0.1% to $1,848.41/oz, having hit a two month high overnight as investors sought safety.
Reuters
JSE to open to subdued Asian markets on Wednesday ahead of Fed announcement
Market data — January 25 2022
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