The Asia and Pacific calendar on Tuesday is light, with Japanese producer prices and trade figures from Hong Kong and Thailand the major economic indicators on tap. Australian mining giant BHP’s annual results are the main corporate highlight.
Global market dynamics will therefore be the more important drivers for Asia as investors continue to digest the implications of Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s policy pivot at Jackson Hole on Friday.
Fears of U.S. recession and a continued rise in unemployment are keeping a 50 basis point rate cut from the Fed next month on the table. This is putting U.S. stocks on the defensive and fueling demand for Treasuries, although bonds and the dollar were generally flat on Monday.
World stocks ended slightly lower on Monday, but not before hitting a new record high. Nvidia shares slid ahead of the AI darling’s quarterly results on Wednesday, pushing Wall Street lower but not beofre registering a fresh six-week high.
Gold hugged recent record peaks, while oil prices rose again on Monday as production cuts in Libya added to supply concerns stemming from reports of escalating conflict in the Middle East. Oil is now up 8% in three days.
So it is a mixed bag for Asia on Tuesday. This is the backdrop to a re-emergence of trade tensions between China and the West, as the Biden-Harris administration prepares to announce final implementation plans for steep tariff increases on certain Chinese imports.
