EM Currencies Mixed as Stocks Gain Before Yellen: Inside Asia
Alert: HALISTER1
Source: BFW (Bloomberg First Word)
People
Dr Janet L Yellen (Federal Reserve System)
Edmund Goh (Aberdeen Asset Management PLC)
Freddy Wong (FMR LLC)
Ken Cheung (Mizuho Financial Group Inc)
Moon Jae-In (Republic of Korea)
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UUID: 7947283
(Bloomberg) -- Emerging Asian currencies are trading mixed ahead of a speech by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen. Korean won strengthens on likely dollar selling by exporters, while the Philippine peso drops. The MSCI EM Asia Index of shares rises for a fourth day, set for its longest run of gains since mid-May, while government bonds are largely steady. “Currencies are broadly steady with weaker bias as Fed’s Dudley attempted to downplay the soft U.S. inflation recently,” says Ken Cheung, a currency strategist at Mizuho Bank in Hong Kong. “The market is awaiting Yellen’s speech tonight and the Asian FX market should remain largely calm given a light data calendar.” The dollar touched a five-week high versus the yen as Yellen leads a slate of speakers from the U.S. central bank this week. WHAT TO WATCH:
- For more data and events, see Asia Daybook
- Indonesia, Malaysia closed for holidays
- Yuan is steady onshore; 10-year government bonds gain while the Shanghai Composite Index is little changed
- PBOC weakens yuan daily reference rate by 0.11% to 6.8292 per dollar, the weakest since May 31
- Skips open market operations for third day
- Aberdeen Asset Management is waiting for a bigger correction in longer- dated China onshore bonds before adding positions, according to Edmund Goh, a fixed-income investment manager
- Both the short- and long-ends of China’s onshore bond curve are attractive, according to Freddy Wong, a portfolio manager at Fidelity
- May industrial profits rise 16.7% on better global demand
- Read: China debt squeeze has Moody’s awaiting first local default
- Won rises for a fourth day against the dollar after a report showed consumer confidence in June climbed to highest level in six years; KOSPI Index up 0.1%
- USD/KRW drops 0.1% to 1,135.95 as pair consolidates above 100-DMA at 1,133.51
- Fed Chair Yellen speaks Tuesday in London on global economic issues
- “Won is long- biased today due to exporters’ selling dollars ahead of the quarter end,” says Seung Ji Jeon, currency analyst at Samsung Futures
- “All eyes are on Yellen’s comments tonight and the wait- and-see mood is giving support to USD/KRW around the 100- DMA”
- Despite rising approval ratings, South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s fiscal stimulus package has so far gone nowhere in parliament, underscoring the challenges he faces in enacting his economic agenda without a majority
- South Korea 10-year bond yield little changed at 2.12%
- Taiwan dollar steady; TAIEX Index down 0.1%
- UBS raises year-end Taiex forecast to 10,600 from 9,850
- Strength in liquidity due to equity inflows from abroad and optimism for next iPhone means stock market may rise in short term, UBS analyst William Dong writes in note
- Baht is little changed after foreigners were net sellers of both bonds and equities in Thailand Monday
- Global investors sold net 79m baht ($2.3m) of domestic notes, first net outflow since June 16, according to TBMA data; sold net $19.8m of local equities, taking net sales this month to $167.6m: exchange data
- BOT will probably hold policy rate steady at 1.5% at its next meeting on July 5, Tim Leelahaphan, Thailand economist in Bangkok at Maybank Kim Eng Securities, wrote in Monday note
- Negative real interest rates may force BOT to step up its stance by increasing the policy rate before year-end
- BOT to sell 91- and 182-day bills Tuesday
- Yield on 2.125% govt bond due December steady at 2.399%
- Philippine peso drops 0.1% against the dollar as markets reopen after Monday’s holiday in many regional countries
- USD/PHP at 50.255, trades in the 50.185 to 50.275 range vs 50.230 close on Friday; FX pair continues to consolidate under resistance at 50.415, March 6 high, which held last week
- Overseas funds were net sellers of $7.5m in local equities on June 23
- ATR Asset Management says Philippines has a “very good story” as benefits from President Duterte’s economic program are shaping up
- Duterte marks one year of stock turbulence: chart
- Philippines reports budget deficit of 33.4b pesos ($665m) in May; revenue +14% y/y, spending +20% y/y, Treasury says in statement Monday
- Lower inflation view of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas seem to suggest higher probability of no change in monetary policy this year, according to note from Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ
- Treasury to auction 15b pesos of 20-year bonds Tuesday
- Goldman Sachs Asset Management is taking a more conservative view on emerging-market currencies because momentum seems to be easing for global growth outlook, positions look stretched and commodity prices have weakened, according to June 23 report received Tuesday
Alert: HALISTER1
Source: BFW (Bloomberg First Word)
People
Dr Janet L Yellen (Federal Reserve System)
Edmund Goh (Aberdeen Asset Management PLC)
Freddy Wong (FMR LLC)
Ken Cheung (Mizuho Financial Group Inc)
Moon Jae-In (Republic of Korea)
To de-activate this alert, click here
To modify this alert, click here
UUID: 7947283