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A man passes by an electronic screen displaying Japan’s Nikkei share average. Picture: REUTERS/ISSEI KATO
A man passes by an electronic screen displaying Japan’s Nikkei share average. Picture: REUTERS/ISSEI KATO

Sydney — Major share indices slipped in Asia on Monday while the dollar held near 14-month peaks after an unambiguously strong payrolls report shoved up bond yields and tested lofty equity valuations, just as the earnings season gets under way.

That hawkish jolt also raised the stakes for US consumer price figures on Wednesday where any rise in the core greater than the forecast 0.2% would threaten to close the door on easing altogether.

Not helping was a spike in oil prices to four-month highs amid signs of weaker crude shipments from Russia as Washington stepped up sanctions on the country.

Data also showed China’s export growth picked up steam in December, while imports recovered, as the world’s number two economy braces for mounting trade risks with the incoming US administration.

Markets have already scaled back the expectation for Federal Reserve rate cuts to just 27 basis points (bps) for all of 2025, with the terminal level now seen around 4% compared with the 3% many had hoped for this time last year.

“Given such strong data, we now expect the Fed to cut rates only once this year, by 25bps in June,” said Christian Keller, head of economic research at Barclays.

“We still expect the FOMC [Federal open market committee] to proceed with a cut in June, as we expect the economy to slow in coming quarters and inflation to continue to decline in [the first half], before tariffs lead to some firming in inflation in [the second half].”

At least five Fed officials are on the docket to speak this week and offer their reaction to the jobs surprise, with the influential Federal Reserve Bank of New York president John Williams appearing on Wednesday.

The sea change on rates lifted yields on 10-year treasuries to 14-month peaks of 4.79%, and they were last trading at 4.764% in Asia.

Higher yields on risk-free bonds raise the discounting bar for corporate earnings and make debt relatively more attractive compared to equities, cash, property and commodities.

They also raise borrowing costs for businesses and consumers, and that is before president-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs inflate import prices.

This could test the optimism around corporate earnings as the season kicks off with the major banks on Wednesday, including Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan.

Bear slather over sterling

S&P 500 futures fell 0.4%, and Nasdaq futures 0.5%, adding to Friday’s pullback. Eurostoxx 50 futures and FTSE futures eased 0.2%, while DAX futures were almost flat.

A holiday in Japan made for thin early trading on Monday and MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan edged down 0.4%.

While the Nikkei was shut, futures traded down sharply at 38,430 compared with a cash close of 39,190.

South Korean stocks eased 0.%, with the political situation still in flux as a constitutional court hearing begins on Tuesday to decide if impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, will be removed from office or reinstated.

Chinese blue chips were off 0.2%, as data showed exports rose a surprisingly steep 10.7% and imports added 1%.

The performance was almost too strong given it increased the surplus with the US to $105bn and provided ammunition to those calling for harsh tariffs on Chinese goods.

China’s central bank also stepped up efforts to defend a weakening yuan by relaxing rules to allow more offshore borrowing and sending verbal warnings on the currency.

Figures for Chinese GDP, retail sales and industrial output are out on Friday.

The inexorable rise in treasury yields has boosted the dollar across the board and seen the euro fall for eight consecutive weeks to sit at $1.0230, just above its lowest since November 2022.

The dollar eased to ¥157.60, and off a six-month top of ¥158.88 amid reports the Bank of Japan might revise up its inflation forecasts this month as a prelude to hiking rates again.

Sterling was pinned at 14-month lows of $1.2170, with sentiment soured by a recent rout in the gilt market on concerns the Labour government would have to borrow more to fund spending pledges.

British finance minister Rachel Reeves on Saturday vowed she would act to ensure the government’s fiscal rules were met.

Gold prices were holding firm at $2,688/oz, having proven surprisingly resilient in the face of a stronger dollar and higher bond yields.

Oil prices continued to climb on supply concerns as Russia’s seaborne exports hit their lowest since August 2023, even before the latest round of US sanctions.

Brent jumped $1.19 to $80.94 a barrel, while US crude surged $1.27 to $77.84 a barrel.

Reuters

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