Dollar Slips as Bonds Climb; Most Asia Stocks Retreat
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print...xed-amid-tech-slump-before-fed-oil-drops.html
By Emma O’Brien and Yoshiaki Nohara - Sep 15, 2014
The dollar weakened against most major peers and government bonds climbed before the Federal Reserve reviews interest rates. Most Asian stocks fell while metals rebounded.
The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index slid 0.1 percent by 11:07 a.m. in Tokyo, with the currencies of Japan and South Korea strengthening at least 0.2 percent. Ten-year Australian notes rose for the first time in six days as the yield on 10-year Treasuries slipped one basis point. Two stocks fell for each that advanced on the MSCI Asia Pacific Index. (MXAP) Nasdaq 100 Index futures were little changed after the U.S. gauge of technology stocks sank 1 percent in New York. Gold and nickel rose at least 0.3 percent.
Fed officials meet to review policy from today, with an unexpected decline in American factory output tempering speculation that the timeline for interest-rate increases could be brought forward. Morning trading in Hong Kong is delayed because of a typhoon, while Australia’s central bank said it will monitor risks from rising property prices as policy makers reiterated a period of stability in record-low interest rates.
“The big issue is whether the Fed will change its forward guidance to indicate they are getting closer to the decision on putting interest rates up,” Stephen Halmarick, head of investment markets research at Colonial First State Global Asset Management, which oversees about A$170 billion ($154 billion), said by phone from Sydney. “The transition period as the Fed tightens will be difficult for markets in the Asian region. I think we are in for a few months of increased volatility in markets.”
Dollar Rally
The dollar index is retreating after touching a 14-month high yesterday before finishing little changed. The U.S. currency is up at least 0.5 percent against all 16 of its major peers this month, with the currencies of commodity exporters Brazil, Australia and Norway leading declines.
The U.S. central bank has been saying since March that interest rates would stay low for a “considerable time” after it completes the asset purchases known as quantitative easing. Speculation the Fed may bring forward rate increases has boosted the allure of the dollar this month and depressed Treasuries.
The yield on 10-year Treasury notes jumped 23 basis points, or 0.23 percentage point, this month, heading for the biggest advance this year, as the Fed winds down asset purchases.
The rate on 10-year notes was 2.57 percent today. Yields on the notes dropped two basis points yesterday, falling for the first time in eight days to snap the bonds’ longest losing streak since June last year. Australian bonds due in a decade paid 3.63 percent, down three basis points from yesterday.
Topix Falls
U.S. factory production fell 0.1 percent in August from July, when it grew 0.4 percent, data yesterday showed. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg predicted an increase of 0.3 percent. The Empire State manufacturing gauge, however, rose to 27.54 for September from 14.69 in August and exceeding the 15.95 level projected by analysts.
Japan’s Topix index declined 0.4 percent, snapping a five day advance, while the Kospi gauge in Seoul added 0.3 percent. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index fell 0.1 percent.
The morning session on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange will be delayed due to Typhoon Kalmaegi, according to a statement on the exchange group’s website. The city’s third-highest storm signal was issued for the first time this year earlier today. Markets in Malaysia are closed for a holiday.
Futures on Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index and Hang Seng China Enterprises gauges dropped 0.2 percent in most recent trading. The Shanghai Composite Index was little changed.
Tech Retreat
Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO) dropped 0.8 percent in New York, falling from an 8 1/2-year high as as investors sold some of the bull market’s biggest winners.
The Nasdaq 100 dropped 1 percent to a one-month low, while the Russell 2000 tumbled 1.2 percent, the most since July 31, bringing its retreat in 2014 to 1.5 percent. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index ended the U.S. day down 0.1 percent, with technology shares leading declines with a 0.6 percent drop. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.3 percent as energy shares rebounded.
Selling in the U.S. was heaviest in stocks with the highest valuations. Facebook Inc. (FB) plunged 3.7 percent for the heftiest loss in the S&P 500. TripAdvisor Inc., Micron Technology Inc. and Netflix Inc. dropped at least 3.9 percent. Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA) sank 9.1 percent for its worst day since May.
South Korea’s won added 0.4 percent to 1,034.22 per dollar after weakening to a one-month low yesterday. The yen climbed to 106.99 a dollar and the Australian currency bought 90.47 U.S. cents, up 0.2 percent from yesterday.
OECD Forecast
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development trimmed its growth forecasts for the biggest developed economies yesterday, in the face of increasing geopolitical risks and subdued European inflation. Euro-area gross domestic product is now expected to expand 0.8 percent this year, down from 1.2 percent forecast in May, while the U.S. will expand 2.1 percent instead of 2.6 percent, the Paris-based OECD said in a report.
West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell to $92.86 a barrel, after ending last session up 0.7 percent. Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration due tomorrow will probably show crude stockpiles shrank by 1.5 million barrels last week to 357.1 million, according to analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Brent crude advanced 0.2 percent to $98.10 a barrel.
Nickel for three-month delivery on the London Metal Exchange halted a five-day slide in early trading, rising 0.9 percent to $18,210 a metric ton. Zinc added 1 percent to $2,271.25 a ton, while aluminum gained 0.7 percent to $2,005 a ton.
Gold rebounded 0.3 percent to $1,237.22 an ounce and palladium added 0.8 percent to $841.57.
To contact the reporters on this story: Emma O’Brien in Wellington at
[email protected]; Yoshiaki Nohara in Tokyo at
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To contact the editors responsible for this story: Emma O’Brien at
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[email protected] Nick Gentle, John McCluskey