Halister News

(Bloomberg) -- Won gains for second day; South Korea is considering easing limits on banks’ currency forwards: Vice Finance Minister Choi; North Korea’s Kim Jong Un orders more nuclear tests, KCNA says.

• Yuan rises to three-and-a-half week high against dollar after China raises reference rate most since November 2; central bank adviser Bai Chongen says high leverage at local governments is a potential risk that could grow if central government bailout and guarantee is expected
• Yen steady against dollar; view that Japan needs large-scale economic measures is gaining support, with some bureaucrats and figures close to PM Abe calling for a 10t yen ($88b) stimulus package: Reuters
• U.S. Treasuries little changed, with yield on 10-year bonds at 1.927% in Asian trading; U.S. budget deficit widened to $192.6b in February, biggest in two years; jobless claims drop to lowest in five months
• Ringgit falls; Malaysian industrial production growth likely slowed to 2.1% on-year in January from 2.7% in December, according to median estimate in Bloomberg survey; data due today; preview here
• Peso snaps two-day gain; Philippines unemployment rate rose to 5.8% in January from 5.6% in December
• Rupee one-month forwards snap two-day gain; data today should show India’s industrial production in January was down 0.5% from year earlier: Bloomberg survey