🥇 First rule of investing? Know when to save! Up to 55% off InvestingPro before BLACK FRIDAYCLAIM SALE

Fears of deeper U.S.-China trade war push Asian shares to 4-mth low

Published 2019-05-23, 11:20 p/m
© Reuters.  Fears of deeper U.S.-China trade war push Asian shares to 4-mth low
EUR/USD
-
USD/JPY
-
US500
-
DJI
-
JP225
-
HK50
-
DX
-
LCO
-
CL
-
IXIC
-
US10YT=X
-
SSEC
-
MIAPJ0000PUS
-
CSI300
-
DXY
-

* Trump: 'Dangerous' Huawei could be included in China trade deal

* Wall St stocks slide, 10 yr Treasury yield hits lowest in 17 mths

* Dollar hits 2-yr high, pound at 4-1/2 mth low; Oil plummets 5.7%

* MSCI Asia-ex Japan index on track for 3rd straight losing week

* Asian stock markets: https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4

By Tomo Uetake

Tokyo, May 24 (Reuters) - Asian stocks stumbled to a four-month low on Friday and crude oil plunged on worries the U.S.-China trade spat was developing into a more entrenched strategic dispute between the world's two largest economies, pushing investors to safe-haven assets.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS edged down 0.2 percent to a fresh four-month low, and was on track for a third straight weekly loss, down 1.0% so far on the week.

Chinese shares recovered slightly, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite .SSEC up 0.2% and the blue-chip CSI 300 .CSI300 rising 0.3%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng .HSI added 0.2%.

Japan's Nikkei average .N225 dropped 0.7%.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 1.1%, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 1.2% and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC dropped 1.6%, as traders dumped cyclical names on fears that the escalating U.S.-China trade war would stymie global economic growth. .N

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Washington's complaints against Huawei Technologies HWT.UL might be resolved within the framework of a U.S.-China trade deal, while calling the Chinese telecom giant "very dangerous." last week effectively banned U.S. firms from doing business with Huawei, the world's largest networking gear maker, citing national security concerns.

The U.S. Commerce Department said on Thursday it was proposing a new rule to impose anti-subsidy duties on products from countries that undervalue their currencies against the dollar, another move that could slap higher tariffs on Chinese products. Commerce Ministry hit back on Thursday, with its spokesman saying the United States wants to continue trade talks, they should show sincerity and correct their wrong actions."

Masanari Takada, cross-assets strategist at Nomura Securities in Tokyo, said the U.S.-China trade conflict "has not yet fully dented the global investor sentiment, so there is no panic-selling. But at the same time, the sentiment will likely remain weak."

As flight-to-safety plays dominated global markets, the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note US10YT=RR yield hit 2.292%, the lowest level since mid-October 2017, with the key parts of the yield curve inverted. The yield last stood at 2.326 percent.

Chotaro Morita, chief fixed income strategist at SMBC Nikko Securities, said big falls shown in a fresh U.S. manufacturing survey appear to reflect expectations of a breakdown in the U.S-China trade talks.

"In the last couple of years, the PMI has had a very small gap with hard data, such as industrial output. So if that holds true this time, we could see factory production plunging into negative levels (compared to a year ago)."

"Since the global financial crisis, U.S. output has fallen only once: from 2015 to early 2016 when the shale industry was badly hit. Markets could start to fret over a global slowdown as they have done late last year."

The dollar index .DXY , which measures it against six major currencies, hit a high of 98.371 on Thursday U.S. time. It was last quoted at 97.872, little changed on the day.

The euro on Thursday slumped to levels last seen in May 2017 as a recovery in euro zone business activity was weaker than expected. Early Friday, the currency was steady on the day at $1.1181 EUR= .

Sterling weakened again on Thursday as pressure mounted on British Prime Minister Theresa May to name a date for her departure after a backlash over her last-ditch plans for Britain's exit from the European Union. some domestic media said May's time was up, foreign minister Jeremy Hunt said she would still be prime minister when Trump arrives for a visit trip on June 3. pound was last traded at $1.2661 GBP=D4 , little changed on the day. Sterling suffered its 14th consecutive day of losses against the euro on Thursday, its longest losing streak on record. It stood at 0.8831 pound to the euro EURGBP= .

Other major currencies were relatively calm, with the safe-haven yen still supported but not aggressively so.

The dollar was holding at 109.56 yen JPY= , almost flat on the day.

In commodity markets, oil prices tumbled on Thursday as trade tensions dampened the demand outlook, with the crude benchmarks posting their biggest daily falls in six months. O/R

Oil prices stabilised on Friday amid OPEC supply cuts and tensions in the Middle East.

In Asian trade, U.S. crude CLc1 rebounded 0.9% to $58.46 a barrel, after Thursday's 5.7% fall that took it to the lowest in two months. Brent crude LCOc1 futures rebounded 1.0% to $68.46 per barrel, after falling 4.6% in the previous session.

<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Asia stock markets

https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4 Asia-Pacific valuations

https://tmsnrt.rs/2Dr2BQA

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>

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.