NVDA Q3 Earnings Alert: Why our AI stock picker is still holding Nvidia stockRead More

GLOBAL MARKETS-Trump trade doubts send dollar, shares tumbling

Published 2017-03-27, 05:27 a/m
© Reuters.  GLOBAL MARKETS-Trump trade doubts send dollar, shares tumbling
EUR/USD
-
USD/JPY
-
XAU/USD
-
JP225
-
RRS
-
GC
-
HG
-
ESZ24
-
FRES
-
US10YT=X
-
STOXX
-
MIAPJ0000PUS
-
DXY
-
SX7P
-
SXPP
-

* White House failure on healthcare raises worries over tax reform

* Dollar falls to lowest since Nov. 11

* Risk-off mood drives stocks, commodities lower

* Safe havens such as gold, bonds, yen gain

* Graphic: World FX rates in 2017 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh

By Jemima Kelly

LONDON, March 27 (Reuters) - The dollar and share prices tumbled on Monday, as investors worried that U.S. President Donald Trump's defeat over healthcare reform foreshadowed difficulties delivering other key campaign promises, in particular tax cuts and spending.

Trump's failure to rally enough support from his own Republican party to repeal and replace Obamacare spurred a rush to safe haven assets such as gold XAU= , the Japanese yen JPY= and the Swiss franc CHF= . "Trumpflation trades" - bets that Trump's pro-business policies would stoke growth and inflation in the U.S. and global economies, boosting assets such as commodities - came under heavy selling pressure.

The dollar, whose index had surged more than 6 percent in the aftermath of Trump's election to hit 14-year highs at the start of 2017, slipped to its lowest since Nov. 11, two days after the results of the presidential vote .DXY .

"Investors are viewing this setback as a broader loss of faith in the Trump administration's ability to deliver on other campaign pledges - namely tax and spending policies, which have underpinned asset prices since the U.S. elections," said ING currency strategist Viraj Patel, in London.

U.S. Treasury yields US10YT=RR fell to a one-month low of 2.35 percent, while borrowing costs across the euro zone also fell sharply, as investors ditched riskier assets and unwound bets on higher inflation and interest rates. GVD/EUR

The fall in risk appetite dominated European stockmarkets, with the pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX falling 0.8 percent on the day. .EU

The Basic Resources index .SXPP was the biggest sectoral loser, down 2 percent to a two-week low as copper prices slipped, while the banking index .SX7P was down 1.3 percent.

And the depressed mood looked set to continue on Wall Street, with U.S. stock index futures ESc1 falling 1 percent to a six-week low. Reuters Live Markets blog on European and UK stock markets see reuters://realtime/verb=Open/url=http://emea1.apps.cp.extranet.thomsonreuters.biz/cms/?pageId=livemarkets

RISK AVERSION

Bucking the weaker trend among European stocks were precious metal miners such as Randgold RRS.L and Fresnillo FRES.L , both up more than 1 percent, as risk aversion boosted gold.

Gold prices climbed more than 1 percent to a one-month high of $1,259 an ounce. safe-haven yen also gained more than 1 percent against the greenback, touching 110.12 yen per dollar, its strongest since mid-November, while the Swiss franc also gained as much as 0.8 percent to trade at its highest levels since Nov. 10.

The euro rose 0.7 percent to a 3-1/2-month high of $1.0874 EUR= .

"The markets are continuing to unwind the Trump premium," said BMO Capital Markets currency strategist Stephen Gallo, in London. "We probably are aiming for the (Nov. 8) pre-election lows...that's probably a viable target."

In Asian trading, falls in stock prices were more moderate, with MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS down 0.1 percent after posting its first weekly decline last week in three weeks.

In terms of relative valuations, U.S. stocks are trading well above their historical averages while Asia stocks are still broadly in line with theirs despite a recent bounce.

"Any big pull back in markets would be an opportunity for long term investment in a region where potential is still intact," said Nicholas Yeo, head of China/Hong Kong equities at Aberdeen Asset Management in Hong Kong, part of a team that manages $374 billion in assets as of end-December 2016.

Japan's Nikkei .N225 , though, fell 1.5 percent as the yen rebounded in the face of renewed U.S. dollar weakness.

Following the defeat on U.S. healthcare legislation on Friday, the White House warned rebellious conservative lawmakers on Sunday that they should get behind Trump's agenda or he may bypass them on future legislative fights, including tax reform.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.