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☆ Asian stocks pause rally, eyeing China stimulus, Powell testimony
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Both S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures were mostly flat after Wall Street's bullish run met resistance on Friday. Cash U.S. Treasuries were untraded due to the Juneteenth holiday, while futures were largely steady. The People's Bank of China is widely expected to cut its benchmark loan prime interest rates on Tuesday, following a similar reduction in medium-term policy loans last week. Several major banks last week cut their growth forecasts for China after the recent disappointing data. U.S. crude futures fell 1.0% to 71.03 per barrel, and Brent crude was down 1.3% at $75.63 per barrel.

Persons: BOE, Jerome Powell's, bullish, HSI, Morgan Stanley, Robin Xing, Antony Blinken, Xi Jinping, POWELL, Powell, Ray Attrill, Brent, Stella Qiu, Christopher Cushing, Tom Hogue Organizations: Nikkei, . Federal, Nasdaq, Cash U.S, Japan's Nikkei, Bank of Japan's, U.S ., People's Bank of, National Australia Bank, The Bank of England, European Central Bank, Thomson Locations: China, SYDNEY, Asia, Pacific, Japan, People's Bank of China, .

Asia-Pacific markets are set to trade higher on Monday, with Japan's markets set to continue reaching 33-year highs. The Nikkei 225 has posted weekly gains for the last 10 weeks, and is set to extend this with a strong open. The futures contract in Chicago stood at 33,810, and its counterpart in Osaka was at 33,700 against its last close at 33,706.08. In contrast, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index looks to start the week lower, after the index saw a strong rally last week. HSI futures stood at 19,988 compared to the HSI's close of 20,040.37.

Persons: Antony Blinken Organizations: Nikkei, U.S Locations: Asia, Pacific, Chicago, Osaka, Australia, Beijing, China

☆ Asia shares near 4-month peak, yen falls as BOJ maintains policy
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The BOJ rounded up a central bank heavy week, keeping its pledge to "patiently" sustain massive stimulus to ensure Japan sustainably achieves its 2% inflation target accompanied by wage hikes. As widely expected, the BOJ maintained its -0.1% short-term interest rate target and a 0% cap on the 10-year bond yield set under its yield curve control (YCC) policy. Markets are now pricing in 67% chance of the U.S. central bank raising its interest rate by 25 basis points next month, according to CME FedWatch tool. The European Central Bank on Thursday left the door open to more rate hikes as it flagged risks from rising wages and revised up its inflation projections. The ECB also raised interest rates by 25 bps taking its policy rate to 3.5%, a level not seen since 2001.

Persons: DAX, Kazuo Ueda's, Charu, HSI, Ryan Brandham, Lagarde, Brent, Ankur Banerjee, Kim Coghill Organizations: Federal, Bank of Japan, Ueda, Saxo Markets, Nikkei, Nasdaq, Validus Risk Management, European Central Bank, ECB, NatWest Markets, China . U.S . West Texas, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Asia, Pacific, Japan, North America, U.S, China . U.S

☆ Asia markets headed for mixed open ahead of Bank of Japan rate decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Kazuo Ueda, governor of the Bank of Japan (BOJ), far right, speaks during an event at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. Ueda said central banks need to be more careful about how they communicate with increase in their toolkits and advancements in monetary policy making. Photographer: Noriaki Sasaki/The Yomiuri Shimbun/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets are set for a mixed open Friday after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite posted a sixth-straight day of gains and investors in the region look to the Bank of Japan's rate decision. In Australia, futures for the S&P/ASX 200 were at 7,167, slightly lower than the index's last close of 7,175. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index is set to extend its rally after gaining over 2% on Thursday, with futures at 19,951 compared with the HSI's close of 19,828.92.

Persons: Kazuo Ueda, Ueda, Noriaki Sasaki Organizations: Bank of Japan, Yomiuri Shimbun, Bloomberg, Getty Images, Nasdaq, Bank of, Bank of America, Nikkei Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Getty Images Asia, Pacific, Chicago, Osaka, Australia

Asia-Pacific markets are set to rise after the U.S. Federal Reserve held off on a rate hike while projecting that another two quarter percentage point moves are on the way before the end of the year. The latest decision left the Fed's key borrowing rate in a target range of 5%-5.25%.The central bank forecast it will raise interest rates as high as 5.6% before 2023 is over. In Asia, New Zealand fell into a technical recession after its first quarter gross domestic product fell 0.1% year on year, after reporting a revised 0.7% decline in the final quarter of 2022. Japan's May trade balance will be released later today as the Bank of Japan kicks off its two-day monetary policy meeting. China will release a slew of economic data, including industrial output, retail sales and house prices for May.

Persons: Hong Organizations: U.S . Federal Reserve, Nikkei, Bank of Japan Locations: Asia, Pacific, New Zealand, Japan, Chicago, Osaka, China

☆ Asian shares up, dollar wobbly as US inflation data reinforces Fed pause bets
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The much-watched U.S. CPI report overnight showed prices barely rose in May, with just a 0.1% increase from the prior month. On an annual basis, consumer prices rose 4%, the smallest in more than two years, slowing from April's 4.9%. Short-dated German yields jumped to a 3-month high overnight as investors looked to the rate decision from the European Central Bank on Thursday. Oil prices were lower in early trade after receiving a 3% boost on China's policy rate cut. U.S. crude futures were off 0.5% to $69.12 per barrel, while Brent crude futures fell 0.4% to $74.02 per barrel.

Persons: China's, Tony Sycamore, Jerome Powell, Stella Qiu, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Nikkei, Federal Reserve, U.S, CPI, Fed, Tokyo's Nikkei, Bank of Japan, Nasdaq, IG, Bank of England, European Central Bank, Brent, Thomson Locations: China, Hong Kong, SYDNEY, Asia, Pacific, Japan

This gives room for the Federal Reserve to pause and skip a rate hike when they meet later this week. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 popped 1.05% on its open, inching closer to the Nikkei's all time high is just under 39,000 points in December 1989. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 climbed 0.32%, while South Korea's Kospi slipped 0.22% and the Kosdaq traded close to the flatline. South Korea's unemployment rate came in at 2.5% for May, falling for the second straight month and lower than the 2.6% recorded in April. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index is also set for a strong open, with futures at 19,535 compared to the HSI's close of 19,521.42.

Persons: Ed JONES, ED JONES, Kospi, Hong Organizations: Getty Images, Federal Reserve, Nikkei Locations: Seoul, AFP, Asia, Pacific, U.S, Japan, Australia, South

Asia-Pacific markets are set to largely rise on Tuesday ahead of the U.S. inflation report and Federal Reserve's two-day meeting later in the day – the central bank is widely expected to hold rates for the first time in 15 months while inflation's annual outlook marked a two-year low in the latest New York Fed survey. Japan's Nikkei 225 is set to reach new 2023-highs – its futures contract in Chicago is at 32,795, and its counterpart in Osaka at 32,644 against its last close at 32,434. Australian markets come back from a public holiday with futures for the S&P/ASX 200 at 7,123, just slightly higher than the index's last close of 7,122. However, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index is set to snap a four day winning streak, with futures at 19,358 compared to the HSI's close of 19,404.31.

Persons: Hong Organizations: Fed, Nikkei Locations: Asia, Pacific, Chicago, Osaka

☆ Asia shares near month high ahead of central bank meetings
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SINGAPORE, June 12 (Reuters) - Asian shares started tentatively on Monday as investors braced for central bank meetings from Europe, Japan and the United States this week, along with U.S. inflation data that will likely influence the Federal Reserve's monetary policy path. China stocks (.SSEC) eased 0.01%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (.HSI) opened up 0.3%. Markets are pricing for a 71% probability the U.S. central bank will stand pat when it meets on June 13-14, according to CME FedWatch tool. While doubts persist among investors which path the Fed will take this week, they are more certain the European Central Bank, which meets on Thursday, will raise rates and remain hawkish. The yen eased 0.01% to 139.39 per dollar ahead of the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) policy meeting on Friday.

Persons: Hong, HSI, Lagarde, Mohit Kumar, Kumar, Sterling, Brent, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Federal, Japan's Nikkei, Reserve Bank of Australia, Bank of Canada, Citi, European Central Bank, Jefferies, ECB, Bank of Japan's, Reuters, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Europe, Japan, United States, Asia, Pacific, China, Turkish

☆ Asia shares buoyed by Fed pause bets; dollar heavy
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Kevin Buckland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Japanese and Australian bond yields followed those on U.S. Treasuries lower, and the dollar remained on the defensive early in the Asian session. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares (.MIAP00000PUS) added 0.6%, and at one point touched its strongest level since Feb. 16. Traders now lay 1-in-4 odds for the Fed to raise rates by a quarter point on June 14, versus 75% probability of a pause. "I wouldn't go all in and say we're going to get a rate hike, but I think we should be at least 50% priced," said Tony Sycamore, an analyst at IG Markets in Sydney. The dollar added 0.15% to 139.135 yen , after earlier slipping to a one-week low of 138.765.

Persons: Hong, Tony Sycamore, Jerome, Powell's, Powell, undertightening, Tayyip Erdogan's, WTI fututes, Kevin Buckland, Stephen Coates Organizations: Federal Reserve, Japan's Nikkei, Nasdaq, Fed, Bank of Canada, Reserve Bank of Australia, IG Markets, New, U.S, West Texas, Brent, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Asia, Pacific, Sydney, Tokyo, New York, U.S, United States, Iran

☆ Asian shares slide as traders fret on Fed rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) was down 0.53%, while Japan's Nikkei (.N225) edged 0.08% higher. The move from the BoC comes after Australia's central bank also stunned markets by hiking interest rates earlier this week. Treasury yields were stable in early Asian hours after surging overnight after the move from Canada's central bank. The two-year U.S. Treasury yield, which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations, was up 0.4 basis points at 4.554%. In the currency market, the dollar index , which measures the U.S. currency against six major peers, eased 0.029%, with the euro up 0.09% to $1.0707.

Persons: Ryan Brandham, hawkish, Hong, HSI, Saxo, Brent, Ankur Banerjee, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Bank of Canada, Federal Reserve, Japan's Nikkei, BoC, Validus Risk Management, Reserve Bank of Australia, Fed, Saxo Markets, Traders, Reuters, Treasury, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Asia, Pacific, Japan, North America, China, Canada's

Cranes unload shipping containers from a vessel at the Port of Fremantle in Perth, Australia, on Monday, Aug. 26, 2013. Asia-Pacific markets are set to fall as Wall Street saw a pause in its market rally and the broad market index fluctuated near its highest closing levels since August 2022. China's exports fell further than than expected and Australia's central bank defied market expectations by delivering a 25 basis-point hike. South Korea's Kospi inched down 0.23% in early trade, while the Kosdaq saw a larger loss at 0.43%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index is also set to fall after a brief rally on Wednesday, with futures at 19,116 compared to the HSI's close of 19,252.

Organizations: Port, Nikkei, Reuters, Bank of Locations: Fremantle, Perth, Australia, Asia, Pacific, Japan, Bank of India

☆ World shares muted, lira plunges to record low
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Samuel Indyk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Meanwhile, Turkey's lira plunged to a record low against the greenback as authorities appeared to loosen stabilising measures after the government signalled a pivot to more orthodox policies. Spanish stocks (.IBEX) outperformed after shares in the world's biggest fast fashion company Inditex (ITX.MC) jumped almost 7% following first quarter results. That left the MSCI's broadest index of world shares (.MIWD00000PUS) up just under 0.1% but close to its highest level in 13 months reached on Monday. The dollar fell 0.1% against a basket of currencies, while the Turkish lira weakened over 7% to a record low of 23.17 per dollar, its biggest one-day sell-off since the 2021 crash. Bitcoin was trading at about $26,900, consolidating after a sharp rebound on Tuesday from as low as $25,350.

Persons: Ben Laidler, Ipek Ozkardeskaya, eToro's Laidler, Laidler, Solana, Samuel Indyk, Kevin Buckland, Xie Yu, Robert Birsel, Louise Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Staff LONDON, U.S, Federal Reserve, greenback, Nikkei, Fed, Wall, ICE, Treasury, Swissquote Bank, Data, Saudi, Brent, Texas, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Asia, Pacific, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, U.S, London, Turkish, China, Cardano, Polygon

☆ Asia stocks gain on hopes for China stimulus, Fed pause
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Xie Yu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, June 7 (Reuters) - Most Asia-Pacific stocks markets strengthened on Wednesday, as expectations for stimulus from China and overnight gains on Wall Street boosted the mood. On Tuesday, China reportedly asked the biggest banks to cut deposit rates to boost the economy. "Overall, across the board, assets are doing pretty well," said Yuting Shao, macro strategist at State Street Global Markets. The U.S. dollar index slipped by 0.04% to 104.03. Leading cryptocurrency bitcoin was trading at about $27,000, consolidating following a sharp overnight rebound from as low as $25,350.

Persons: Hong, Yuting Shao, Saudi Arabia's, Brent, bitcoin, Solana, Ed Moya, Xie Yu, Kevin Buckland, Robert Birsel Organizations: Nikkei, State Street Global, Federal Reserve, Treasury, U.S, Australian, Saudi, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Asia, Pacific, China, Japan, Tokyo, Tuesday's, Cardano, Polygon, Bitcoin

Cargo ships stop at their berths to load and unload containers at the container terminal in Lianyungang Port, East China's Jiangsu province, June 5, 2023. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.25%, ahead of Australia's first quarter GDP numbers. The country's economy is expected to expand 2.4% year-on-year, slightly slower than the 2.7% recorded in the fourth quarter of 2022. Japan stocks were higher, with the Nikkei 225 inching closer to the 33,000 level and rising 0.47%. South Korea's markets came back from a public holiday with a positive start, with the Kospi climbing 0.28% and the Kosdaq up by 0.6%.

Persons: Philip Lowe Organizations: Reserve Bank of Australia, Nikkei Locations: Lianyungang Port, East China's Jiangsu, Asia, Pacific, Australia, Australia's, Japan, South

☆ Asian stocks wobble as traders weigh Fed rate pause option
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A string of economic data along with last week's dovish rhetoric from Fed officials have emboldened bets of the Fed refraining from an interest rate hike at its June 13-14 meeting. Saxo strategists said recession concerns, firmer signs of Fed rate cuts or China stimulus measures may be needed to turn sentiment on the energy markets. In the currency market, the dollar index , which measures greenback against six major peers, eased 0.01%. The Australian dollar eased 0.02% to $0.661 as traders wait for the policy decision from the country's central bank. "We expect the RBA to leave the cash rate on hold," analysts at Commonwealth Bank of Australia said in a note.

Persons: Australia's, Hong, nonfarm, Gary Dugan, Brent, Saxo, Sterling, bitcoin, Ankur Banerjee, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Federal Reserve, Tokyo's Nikkei, Reserve Bank of Australia's, Federal, Saxo Markets, Dalma, OPEC, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, CBA, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Asia, Pacific, Japan, China, U.S, Saudi Arabia

☆ Asian shares extend global rally
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Brent oil rose 1% to $76.89 a barrel, giving up some of its earlier gains to as high as $78.73, while U.S. crude climbed 1.2% to $72.61 a barrel, after hitting a session high of $75.06. Oil prices have recently come under pressure amid heightened concerns about China's slowing economic recovery. "With Saudi Arabia protecting oil prices from sliding too low ... we think oil markets are now more prone to a shortfall later this year," said Vivek Dhar, a mining and energy commodities strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia. S&P 500 futures dipped 0.1% and Nasdaq futures dropped 0.3% in Asian hours, after a strong rally on Friday, driven by a mixed U.S. jobs report, a resolution to the debt-ceiling issue and the prospect of a U.S. rate pause this month. The U.S. dollar remained elevated on Monday at 104.14 against its major peers, after gaining 0.5% on Friday on the jobs report.

Persons: Brent, Vivek Dhar, Hong, Fitch, Himani Sarkar, Sam Holmes Organizations: Nikkei, Saudi, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, bbl, Japan's Nikkei, Nasdaq, Treasury, AAA, U.S, Bank of Canada, Reuters, BOC, Thomson Locations: SYDNEY, U.S, Saudi Arabia, OPEC, China, Asia, Pacific, Japan, United States, Australia, Canada

☆ Stocks surge in Asia as US averts default, Fed pause bets rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The exuberant mood looked set to continue in Europe, with Eurostoxx 50 futures up 0.45%, German DAX futures up 0.49% and FTSE futures 0.18% higher. The Treasury Department had warned it would be unable to pay all its bills on June 5 if Congress failed to act. "The market's focus is shifting to the economic front and Fed's decision on rates now," said Tina Teng, markets analysts at CMC Markets. AMP's Oliver said the prevailing sentiment now is that there will be a pause in June and that's helped markets. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index (.AXJO) rose 0.42%, while Japan's Nikkei (.N225) was 1% higher, continuing its hot run.

Persons: DAX, Shane Oliver, Tina Teng, Patrick Harker, Harker, AMP's Oliver, that's, there'll, Australia's, Sterling, Brent, Ankur Banerjee, Lincoln, Kim Coghill Organizations: Federal Reserve, U.S . Senate, Representatives, Treasury Department, AMP, CMC Markets, Labor, Philadelphia Federal, Japan's Nikkei, Treasury, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Asia, Pacific, Japan, Europe, Sydney, U.S, China, Shanghai

☆ Morning Bid: Jubilant markets eye jobs in June jump
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Elizabeth FrantzA look at the day ahead in U.S. and global markets from Mike DolanWith the U.S. debt ceiling removed, world markets see the sky again - encouraged that robust U.S. labor markets continue to defy recession fears as interest rates near peaks. And judged by all the other labor market soundings this week, there are few signs yet of any significant disturbance to the still-robust employment picture. Wall St's "fear index" - the VIX (.VIX) gauge of implied equity volatility - hit its lowest level since November 2021 early on Friday. To the extent the dollar was bid by debt-ceiling stress and thoughts of another June Fed hike, then it's fallen back again too. Elsewhere, oil markets are closely watching the weekend OPEC ministers meeting - although further production cuts are not expected.

Persons: Elizabeth Frantz, Mike Dolan, Hong Kong's, Hang, Lululemon, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Senate, Federal Reserve, Nasdaq, Fed, The United, Broadcom, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Arlington , Virginia, U.S, China, Hong Kong, The United Nations, South Africa

☆ Asian shares rise on debt bill progress, Fed pause hopes
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SINGAPORE, June 2 (Reuters) - Asian stocks surged on Friday as the progress on the bill to raise U.S. debt ceiling and increasing hopes that the Federal Reserve might stand still on interest rates in its next meeting helped perk up investor appetite for risky assets. Harry Ottley, an economist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, said the signs of slowing wage pressure has raised hopes that the Federal Reserve will pause raising interest rates in two weeks. Comments from Fed officials also helped embolden Fed pause hopes, with Philadelphia Federal Reserve President Patrick Harker saying U.S. central bankers should not raise interest rates at their next meeting. In early Asian hours, the two-year U.S. Treasury yield, which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations, was up 0.6 basis points at 4.347%, having slipped around 5 basis points on Thursday. The yield on 10-year Treasury notes was up 0.2 basis points to 3.610%, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was down 0.6 basis points to 3.829%.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, Harry Ottley, CBA's Ottley, embolden, Patrick Harker, Harker, Sterling, Brent, Ankur Banerjee, Lincoln Organizations: Federal Reserve, U.S, Senate, Democratic, Treasury, Japan's Nikkei, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Federal, Traders, U.S . House, Labor, Philadelphia Federal, Nasdaq, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Washington, Asia, Pacific, Japan, China, Shanghai, U.S

☆ Tech shares see biggest-ever weekly inflow on AI boom-BofA
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Stocks in general saw $14.8 billion of inflows, the largest weekly inflow since February. Investors are chasing a "summer rip tide into tech and stocks", BofA analysts wrote in a note, which referred to an AI "baby bubble", though they said they themselves remain bearish due to the impact of higher interest rates causing liquidity to tighten. Cash funds, normally in demand when investors are nervous, also saw inflows of $11.3 billion, their sixth straight week of inflows, while gold funds saw $200 million of outflows, according to BofA. They describe the trade as: "Buy HSI sell AI". Reporting by Alun John; Editing by Amanda Cooper and David HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: BoFa, Stocks, Cash, BofA, Alun John, Amanda Cooper, David Holmes Organizations: Technology, BofA Global, Tech, Nasdaq, Nvidia, Microsoft, Google, Meta, Hang Seng Tech, Thomson Locations: China

☆ Asia stocks gain as Fed hike bets recede, debt vote eases nerves
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Kevin Buckland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TOKYO, June 1 (Reuters) - Most Asia-Pacific stock markets rose on Thursday amid receding bets for a U.S. rate hike this month and relief over the passage of the U.S. debt ceiling bill through the House. Treasury yields rose slightly from nearly two-week lows. ""What this does is it turns the attention to the incoming data and the Fed meeting this month," Attrill added. However, shortly after, the Fed's Jefferson said skipping a rate hike in two weeks would provide policymakers time to see more data before making a decision. Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker also said on Wednesday that for now he is inclined to support a "skip" in rate hikes.

Persons: Philip Jefferson, Hong, HSI, Ray Attrill, Attrill, Jefferson, Patrick Harker, Kevin Buckland, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Federal, Treasury, Japan's Nikkei, Republicans, National Australia Bank, Philadelphia Fed, Brent, U.S, West Texas, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Asia, Pacific, U.S, Tokyo

People are reflected in an electronic quotation board displaying the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average (top) as they cross a street in Tokyo on May 17, 2023. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP) (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images)Asia-Pacific markets were mostly higher on Thursday ahead of a final vote on the bill to raise the U.S. debt ceiling after it passed a key procedural hurdle in the House overnight. Private surveys for factory activity data for China, Japan, South Korea as well as several Asean countries will be released later today. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 saw a 0.18% gain after it retreated from the 31,000 mark on Wednesday, with the Topix also up by 0.22%. HSI futures stood at the lowest the index has been since Nov 28, 2022.

Persons: Kazuhiro NOGI, KAZUHIRO NOGI, Australia's Organizations: Nikkei, Getty Images, Asean Locations: Tokyo, AFP, Asia, Pacific, China, Japan, South Korea

☆ China’s small and medium-sized factories post surprise growth, easing market anxiety
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —A key gauge of China’s small- and medium-sized factories showed their surprise return to expansion last month, which eased market anxiety about growth stalling in the world’s second largest economy. The Caixin manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 50.9 in May from April’s 49.5, according to a private survey. The Caixin survey is focused on small and medium-sized enterprises. Asian markets received a boost from the Caixin data. It settled 2% lower on Wednesday, weighed down by the weak China data and a stronger greenback.

Persons: Ken Cheung, Joe Biden, WTI Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, PMI, National Bureau of Statistics, Mizuho Bank, Nikkei, China’s, US, Senate, greenback . Locations: Hong Kong, April’s, China, China’s Shanghai

☆ Asia stocks slump to monthly loss as China data disappoints
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Australian dollar is sliding towards a fourth consecutive monthly loss and at $0.6492 is barely above last week's seven-month lows. Aussie stocks (.AXJO) are eying their worst month since February with a 2.4% drop. Based on these factors, we raise our end-2023 targets for Japanese stocks, to 2,300 for TOPIX and 32,500 for the Nikkei 225." Benchmark 10-year yields dropped 12.4 basis points overnight and fell another 1.5 bps on Wednesday in Asian trade to 3.6808%. The drop in yields put a pause in what looks to be the U.S. dollar's best monthly rally since February.

Persons: stockmarkets, Carol Kong, Masashi Akutsu, Joe Biden, Treasuries, Philip Lowe, Sam Holmes Organizations: Nikkei, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, of America, Republican, Brent, Thomson Locations: China, Asia, Japan, SINGAPORE, Pacific, U.S, United States

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