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NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Tuesday U.S. growth needed to slow to a pace more in line with its potential rate to bring inflation back to target levels since the economy was operating at full employment. "Growth has to slow. "It's completely natural and desirable, that growth -- the pace of growth -- is slowing." U.S. gross domestic product is still expanding at a pace well above what Federal Reserve officials regard as the non-inflationary growth rate of around 1.8%, often referred to as the "potential" growth rate. Yellen did not specify what she regards as the U.S. economy's potential growth rate, except to say that it has been growing above potential since it raced out of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Yellen, David Lawder, Kanishka Singh, Leslie Adler, Deepa Babington Organizations: Tuesday, Federal, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, New York, CHINA, China, U.S

☆ Indonesia parliament committee approves higher 2024 budget of $216 bln
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

President Joko Widodo's budget for 2024, his final year in office, targets expenditure at 3,325.1 trillion rupiah ($216.27 billion), up 6.45% from 2023's outlook to account for higher energy subsidies amid rising global oil prices. The fiscal budget proposal was approved by the budget committee chaired by Said Abdullah. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati highlighted the risk of rising global crude oil prices to the budget next year. The committee approved a revision to the total energy subsidies by about 2% higher to 189.1 trillion rupiah versus 185.9 trillion rupiah in the initial proposal. For 2024, the budget assumes a lower inflation at 2.8% versus 3.1% in 2023'outlook and a slightly higher economic growth at 5.2% compared to 5.1% in the 2023's outlook.

Persons: Joko, Said Abdullah, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Sri Mulyani, Josua Pardede, Josua, Stefanno Sulaiman, Kanupriya Kapoor, Martin Petty Organizations: El, Finance, Bank Permata, El Nino, Thomson Locations: El Nino, JAKARTA, Indonesia's

Investors at six large asset managers - Pictet, BNP Paribas Asset Management, Janus Henderson, J.P. Morgan Asset Management, Invesco and RBC - told Reuters they have neither reduced nor added to their China weighting following recent measures to support the economy. "While the overall picture is grim, bearishness around Chinese equities may have reached a local peak and we therefore are refraining from cutting our exposure," said Dong Chen, head of Asia macroeconomic research at Pictet Wealth Management. SEEKING ALTERNATIVESOthers have meanwhile sought out opportunities in markets outside of China, but that trend is showing signs of ebbing. "With attitudes towards China currently so weak, equities valuations could be quite sensitive to signs that corporate fundamentals are starting to improve." ($1 = 7.2910 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Summer Zhen in Hong Kong and Rae Wee in Singapore; Editing by Tom Westbrook and Shri NavaratnamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Janus Henderson, J.P, Dong Chen, Chi Lo, haven't, Alex Redman, teetering, Jasmine Duan, Patrick Garvin, Summer Zhen, Rae Wee, Tom Westbrook Organizations: BNP, Asset Management, Morgan Asset Management, Invesco, RBC, Reuters, Pictet Wealth Management, HK, RBC Investment Services, Thomson Locations: China, HONG KONG, SINGAPORE, Asia, Shanghai, Pacific, India, Indonesia, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore

☆ Chinese yuan's depreciation pressure against dollar is temporary - state media
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SHANGHAI/SINGAPORE, Sept 19 (Reuters) - The depreciation pressure on the Chinese yuan against the U.S. dollar is temporary, state media said on Tuesday, noting that its value against major trading partner currencies is stable. Widening yield differentials with other major economies, particularly the United States, have piled downward pressure on the Chinese currency against the dollar. "The yuan exchange rate still depends on economic fundamentals in the long run," the newspaper said in the commentary. "Financial regulators will take action when needed, resolutely correct unilateral and pro-cyclical behaviors, deal with activities that disrupts market orders, and prevent the exchange rate overshooting risks." "Based on previous FX reserve requirement ratio (RRR) reductions, the cut could ease depreciation pressure, prevent overshoot risks and boost confidence in the short term," it said.

Persons: Winni Zhou, Tom Westbrook, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: U.S ., People's Bank of China, FX, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, SINGAPORE, United States

An electronic board shows Shanghai and Shenzhen stock indexes, at the Lujiazui financial district in Shanghai, China October 25, 2022. "While the overall picture is grim, bearishness around Chinese equities may have reached a local peak and we therefore are refraining from cutting our exposure," said Dong Chen, head of Asia macroeconomic research at Pictet Wealth Management. SEEKING ALTERNATIVESOthers have meanwhile sought out opportunities in markets outside of China, but that trend is showing signs of ebbing. "With attitudes towards China currently so weak, equities valuations could be quite sensitive to signs that corporate fundamentals are starting to improve." ($1 = 7.2910 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Summer Zhen in Hong Kong and Rae Wee in Singapore; Editing by Tom Westbrook and Shri NavaratnamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Aly, Janus Henderson, J.P, Dong Chen, Chi Lo, haven't, Alex Redman, teetering, Jasmine Duan, Patrick Garvin, Summer Zhen, Rae Wee, Tom Westbrook Organizations: REUTERS, BNP, Asset Management, Morgan Asset Management, Invesco, RBC, Reuters, Pictet Wealth Management, HK, RBC Investment Services, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, Shenzhen, China, HONG KONG, SINGAPORE, Asia, Pacific, India, Indonesia, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore

☆ Morning Bid: No calm before the central bank storm
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Kevin BucklandEurope yet again wakes up to a swathe of red in Asian markets on Tuesday. Japanese markets were closed on Monday for a national holiday, so are only now catching up on the TSMC news. Trading was volatile, with Hong Kong's property share subindex (.HSMPI), for example, swinging from an early 1.7% loss to be slightly up by lunchtime. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsThursday is packed, with the Bank of England, Swiss National Bank, Riksbank, and Norges Bank. Certainly FX and rates markets are taking notice of the calendar, with the dollar and Treasury yields content to trade in tight ranges just below recent highs.

Persons: Kevin Buckland, Hong, Sunac, Kazuo Ueda's, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Nikkei, HK, Sunac China Holdings, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Bank of England, Swiss National Bank, Riksbank, Norges Bank, of Japan, Yomiuri, Treasury, Thomson Locations: Kevin Buckland Europe

☆ Top House Republican McCarthy to test narrow majority in shutdown fight
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( David Morgan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/6] U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks with reporters as he arrives for the day at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. September 18, 2023. Republicans hold a 221-212 majority in the House that leaves McCarthy with little room to maneuver as he contends with opposition to the spending legislation from a small group of hardline conservatives. "The Republican House is failing the American people again and pursuing a path of gamesmanship and circus," Republican Representative Victoria Spartz said in a statement. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, called the House Republican CR agreement "slapdash and reckless," adding that a bipartisan continuing resolution is "the only answer for avoiding a government shutdown." Unless the House can move forward on spending, Republican leaders said privately that they could be forced to move directly into negotiations with Senate Democrats on appropriations bills, circumventing hardliners.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Jonathan Ernst, Joe Biden, McCarthy, Fitch, Tommy Tuberville, Biden, Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz, Jack Smith, Trump, Victoria Spartz, Chuck Schumer, Chip Roy, Roy, Ralph Norman, David Morgan, Richard Cowan, Moira Warburton, Scott Malone, Sandra Maler, Will Dunham Organizations: ., U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, . House, Republican, Democratic, Senate, AAA, Democrat, Caucus, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Mexico

☆ US shutdown looms: Top House Republican Kevin McCarthy faces crucial test
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( David Morgan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) addresses the 5th annual Congressional Hackathon on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 14, 2023. But hardline activism on spending, policy and impeachment have split Republicans in the House and slowed the Senate's path forward on approving bipartisan spending legislation. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries warned on Sunday that the situation amounts to a Republican "civil war." Unless the House can move forward on spending, Republican leaders say privately that they could be forced to move directly into negotiations with Senate Democrats on appropriations bills, circumventing hardliners. Other House Republicans fear that McCarthy's decision to open an impeachment inquiry of Biden could make it harder to gain cooperation on spending from Democrats.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Evelyn Hockstein, Joe Biden, brinkmanship, Fitch, Hakeem Jeffries, Tommy Tuberville, McCarthy, Biden, who's, Chip Roy, Patrick McHenry, Ralph Norman, Ken Buck, David Morgan, Richard Cowan, Scott Malone, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, ., Republican, U.S . Congress, Democratic, Senate, AAA, California Republican, Fox News, Department of Defense, House Republicans, White, Defense Department, Department of Veterans Affairs, Caucus, Moderate, Biden, Republicans, Washington Post, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, California

☆ Asian shares drop as investors brace for central bank-packed week
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained 0.8% to $91.52, their highest level since November, while Brent crude futures rose 0.7% to $94.55 per barrel. In Asia, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) fell 0.7%. This week, global central banks will take centre stage, with five of those overseeing the 10 most heavily traded currencies holding rate-setting meetings. Last Friday, Wall Street ended sharply lower as U.S. industrial labour action weighed on auto shares. The euro gained 0.1% to $1.0667, after slumping to a 3-1/2 month low of $1.0632 last week as the European Central Bank signalled its rate hikes could be over.

Persons: BOE, BOJ, Taiwan's TSMC, Hong, Tommy Xie, Chris Weston, Weston, Kazuo Ueda, Cash Treasuries, Stella Qiu, Shri Navaratnam, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, Nasdaq, . West Texas, Brent, Japan's Nikkei, Technology, Reuters, Trust, Greater, Greater China Research, OCBC Bank, China Evergrande, Fed, U.S ., Bank of England, Treasury, Amazon, European Central Bank, Thomson Locations: China, SYDNEY, Europe, Asia, Pacific, Japan, Zhongrong, Greater China, HK, Pepperstone, Tokyo

☆ Asian shares stumble as investors brace for central bank packed week
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

S&P 500 futures advanced 0.2% while Nasdaq futures edged 0.1% higher. Also, Chinese trust firm Zhongrong International Trust Co, with exposure to Chinese property developers, said over the weekend it was unable to make payments on some trust products on time. The euro recovered 0.1% to $1.0673 in early Asia trade, after slumping to a 3-1/2 month low of $1.0629 last week as the European Central Bank signalled its rate hikes could be over. Brent crude futures rose 0.3% at $94.20 per barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 0.4% at $91.14. Reporting by Stella Qiu; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Shri NavaratnamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: BOE, BOJ, Tommy Xie, Jerome Powell, Chris Weston, Weston, Kazuo Ueda, Cash Treasuries, Stella Qiu, Lincoln Organizations: SYDNEY, Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, Nasdaq, Japan's Nikkei, China Evergrande, HK, International Trust Co, Greater, Greater China Research, OCBC Bank, U.S . Federal, Fed, U.S ., Bank of England, Treasury, Amazon, European Central Bank, Brent, . West Texas, Thomson Locations: China, Asia, Pacific, Japan, Hong Kong, Beijing, Greater China, Tokyo

☆ Chinese state firms' help to troubled shadow bank does little to address investor concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

BEIJING, Sept 18 (Reuters) - The involvement of two Chinese state-owned financial firms in Zhongrong International Trust Co's operations and management may diffuse risk at the troubled shadow bank but does little to ease concerns about missed payments, analysts and investors said. It was not immediately clear whether the support by the two firms was engineered by the Chinese authorities, but Beijing has previously bailed out troubled financial firms by roping in state entities to contain broader contagion risk. The agreement allows the two financial firms to "provide professional services for operations and management" of Zhongrong, it said, adding the move would not impact its debt ownership and legal relationship in trust products. That would further dampen investors' confidence in trust products." "It's good news and at least provides some clarity," said Zhang, who is an investor in a Zhongrong trust product and gave only his surname due to sensitivity of the matter.

Persons: Zhongrong, They'll, Zhang, Xu, I've, Ziyi Tang, Ryan Woo, Sumeet Chatterjee Organizations: Trust, Citic Trust, CCB, Citic Group, China Construction Bank, National Financial Regulatory Administration, People's Bank of China, Citic, Shanghai, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Beijing

Retail sales, a gauge of consumption, also increased at a faster 4.6% pace in August aided by the summer travel season, and was the quickest growth since May. The upbeat data suggest that a flurry of recent measures including property support policies to shore up a faltering economic recovery are starting to bear fruit. "Despite signs of stabilisation in manufacturing and related investment, the deteriorating property investment will continue to pressure economic growth," said Gary Ng, Natixis Asia Pacific senior economist. Ng said confidence remains the root of most problems requiring larger "constructive policy and regulatory changes" to boost growth momentum. For August, property investment extended its fall, down 19.1% year-on-year from a 17.8% slump the previous month, according to Reuters calculations based on NBS data.

Persons: Gary Ng, Ng, Albee Zhang, Liangping Gao, Kevin Yao, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: REUTERS, National Bureau of Statistics, Natixis Asia Pacific, Thomson Locations: Wuhan, Hubei province, China, BEIJING, U.S

☆ China August industrial output, retail sales growth beat expectations
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

An employee inspects a circuit board on the controller production line at a Gree factory, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Wuhan, Hubei province, China August 16, 2021. The data released on Friday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) beat expectations for a 3.9% increase in a Reuters poll of analysts, and marked the quickest rate since April. Retail sales, a gauge of consumption, also grew at a faster 4.6% pace in August aided by the summer travel season, and was the quickest growth since May. Fixed asset investment expanded 3.2% in the first eight months of 2023 from the same period a year earlier, versus expectations for a 3.3% rise. Reporting by Albee Zhang, Ellen Zhang and Joe Cash Editing by Shri NavaratnamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Albee Zhang, Ellen Zhang, Joe Cash, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, National Bureau of Statistics, Thomson Locations: Wuhan, Hubei province, China, Rights BEIJING, U.S

☆ Dollar holds steady, yuan rises on better-than-expected China data
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Brigid Riley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. dollar index last stood somewhat lower at 105.32, but still near Thursday's six-month peak of 105.43. The yuan and Australian and New Zealand dollars received a boost after a batch of economic data from China in the Asian morning came in better-than-expected for some key indicators, providing a rare lift in sentiment. The offshore yuan inched up against the dollar to 7.2918 following the release. The Australian dollar , a proxy for China growth, rose nearly 0.3% to $0.6443, while the New Zealand dollar was up 0.2% at $0.5912. The yen stuck near 147.41 per dollar in the Asian morning.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Rodrigo Catril, Sterling, Simon Harvey, Brigid Riley, Indradip Ghosh, Lincoln, Navaratnam Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Central, U.S, greenback, New Zealand, People's Bank of China's, National Bank of Australia, Australian, Mizuho Bank, Thomson Locations: Asia, China, Thursday's, Europe

☆ New Zealand banks to introduce new measures to prevent scams
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWELLINGTON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - New Zealand banks on Friday said they would introduce new steps to counter scams targeted at its customers including establishing a national Anti-Scam centre, combining resources to combat money laundering and increasing public awareness. Roger Beaumont, chief executive of the New Zealand Banking Association, which represents all large banks based in New Zealand, said in a statement that the joint commitment by retail banks is expected to have a positive impact in tackling fraud and scams. In the second quarter of 2023 1,950 scams were reported with people losing NZ$4.2 million ($2.48 million), according to data from the New Zealand government’s Computer Emergency Response Team. Australia, where four of New Zealand’s largest retail banks are headquartered, is also introducing similar new measures. ($1 = 1.6915 New Zealand dollars)Reporting by Lucy Craymer Editing by Shri NavaratnamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Thomas White, Roger Beaumont, Beaumont, Lucy Craymer, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, New Zealand Banking Association, NZ, Zealand, Thomson Locations: New Zealand, Australia

☆ Toshiba's top investor to sell stake in JIP offer, source says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Makiko Yamazaki | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Androniki Christodoulou/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Toshiba's (6502.T) largest shareholder Effissimo Capital Management has decided to tender its 9.9% stake in the $14 billion takeover offer by Japan Industrial Partners (JIP), a source said on Friday, raising the odds of the bid succeeding. The offer, which will end on Sept. 20, needs at least two-thirds of shareholders to tender their shares for it to succeed. Other major shareholders, Elliott Management and Farallon Capital Management, both have their executives on Toshiba's board which has unanimously approved the JIP takeover. Singapore-based fund 3D Investment Partners, previously Toshiba's second-largest shareholder, revealed in a filing in March that it had cut its stake to 4.90% from 7.20%. Sources have said top activist shareholders were eager to exit, even though the offer price was unsatisfactory.

Persons: Androniki, JIP, Effissimo, Elliott, Makiko Yamazaki, Kantaro Komiya, Neil Fullick Organizations: Toshiba Corporation, REUTERS, Rights, Effissimo Capital Management, Japan Industrial Partners, Toshiba, Elliott Management, Farallon Capital Management, Major Toshiba, Partners, Investment Partners, Westinghouse, Thomson Locations: Kawasaki, Japan, Singapore

☆ China boosts liquidity with medium-term policy tool
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The headquarters of the People's Bank of China, the central bank, is pictured in Beijing, China, February 3, 2020. All 33 market watchers polled by Reuters this week predicted no change to the MLF rate. With 400 billion yuan worth of MLF loans set to expire this month, the operation resulted in a net 191 billion yuan of fresh fund injections into the banking system. It lent another 34 billion yuan via 14-day reverse repos at 1.95%, down from 2.15% previously. The rate reduction was a follow-up move to the rate cut to the seven-day tenor last month.

Persons: Jason Lee, Ken Cheung, Cheung, Marco Sun, Sun, Winni Zhou, Tom Westbrook, Tom Hogue, Shri Navaratnam, Sam Holmes Organizations: People's Bank of China, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Mizuho Bank, MUFG Bank, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights SHANGHAI, SINGAPORE, United States

☆ Japan corporate mood sours on fears of China-led global downturn: Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Tetsushi Kajimoto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The gloom across the business sector underlines the challenge for Japanese policymakers and raises doubts that exports could fuel an economic recovery in the face of weak domestic demand. The Reuters Tankan monthly poll of 502 big manufacturers, showed a sharp fall in the sector's sentiment index to plus 4, from plus 12 in August. Compared with three month ago, the manufacturers' sentiment index -- calculated by subtracting the percentage of pessimistic respondents from optimistic ones -- was down four points and suggests decline in the quarterly tankan survey. The Reuters Tankan non-manufacturers index also dropped nine points to hit plus 23 in September from the previous month, the biggest decline since May 2020, the survey showed. The business sentiment over the coming three months showed the manufacturers' index flat in December and the service-sector index slightly down at plus 21 at year-end.

Persons: Tetsushi, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Reuters, Bank of, Overseas, Thomson Locations: China, TOKYO, Bank of Japan's, Ukraine, U.S

Brent crude futures rose 36 cents, or 0.4%, to $92.24 a barrel at 0300 GMT. Elsewhere, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Tuesday retained its forecasts for robust growth in global oil demand in 2023 and 2024. "The oil market looks decidedly tight over the next two to three quarters as supply constraints persist amid robust demand," said analysts at ANZ Research. U.S. crude inventories rose by 4 million barrels last week, confounding analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a 1.9 million-barrel drop. Higher interest rates increase borrowing costs for businesses and consumers, which could slow economic growth and reduce oil demand.

Persons: Priyanka Sachdeva, Phillip Nova, refiners, buoying, Arathy Somasekhar, Leslie Adler Organizations: Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Brent, . West Texas, International Energy Agency, Organization of, Petroleum, ANZ Research, Reserve, Thomson Locations: Idemitsu, Ichihara, Tokyo, Japan, Rights SINGAPORE, Saudi Arabia, Houston, Singapore

☆ Asian stocks climb as traders shrug off inflation surprise
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Fed funds futures hardly budged on the inflation data, and imply nearly no chance of a rate hike next week, and about a 45% chance of another hike by year's end. The S&P 500 (.SPX) rose 0.1% and futures rose 0.2% in Asia. European futures were flat. The euro has been supported this week by creeping expectations for the European Central Bank to hike rates on Thursday, though analysts say it may struggle for further gains. The New Zealand dollar was also firmer at $0.5941, while the dollar slipped about 0.2% to buy 147.11 yen .

Persons: Androniki, Glenn Yin, HSI, Brent Donnelly, it's, Kazuo Ueda, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Nikkei, REUTERS, Rights, European Central Bank, Tokyo's Nikkei, Treasury, ., New, AETOS Capital Group, Arm Holdings, EU, Spectra Markets, New Zealand, Bank of Japan, Brent, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Rights SINGAPORE, Asia, Pacific, New York, Melbourne, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Australia

☆ Japan's weak machinery orders, other batch of soft data raise BOJ challenge
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Kantaro Komiya | Thomson Reuters | Kantaro Writes About Everything Japan'S Economic Indicators To North Korea'S Missiles To Global Regulation On Ai Companies. His Previous Stories Have Been Published In The Associated Press | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Core orders, the leading indicator of Japanese business spending, were down 1.1% in July from the previous month, the data showed. Orders from manufacturers fell 5.3% in July, the largest decline in eight months, due to weak demand for computers from industries including electric machinery, auto and chemicals. Orders from "core" service-sector firms excluding shipping and electric utilities grew 1.3%. The government maintained its weak view on machinery orders, saying they are "stalling", highlighting the bumpy road ahead for Japanese business and its broader economy. In July, Japan's exports fell for the first time in nearly 2-1/2 years, while the industrial output contracted more than expected.

Persons: Chisato Oshiba, Fumio Kishida, reshuffling, Kantaro Komiya, Chang, Ran Kim Organizations: ", Dai, Research, Manufacturers, U.S . Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, China, Japan

☆ China's central bank set to boost liquidity but keep policy rate steady
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SHANGHAI, Sept 14 (Reuters) - China's central bank is expected to boost liquidity while keeping the borrowing cost steady when rolling over its medium-term policy loans on Friday, a Reuters survey showed, after a string of data showed some signs of economic stabilisation. China has already lowered the medium-term policy rate twice since June to stimulate credit demand and support a faltering economic recovery. New bank lending in China beat expectations by nearly quadrupling in August from July's level, as the central bank sought to shore up economic growth amid soft demand at home and abroad. To revive broad credit demand and rescue the troubled property sector, China unexpectedly cut the MLF rate last month. For this reason alone, it seems unlikely that the PBOC will embrace large-scale rate cuts."

Persons: Frances Cheung, Julian Evans, Pritchard, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: People's Bank of China, OCBC Bank, U.S, Capital Economics, Shanghai, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, China, United States, OCBC Bank .

☆ China asks big banks to stagger and adjust dollar purchases - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Most banks are allowed to run a net short or long foreign currency position in spot dollar-yuan markets, within defined limits. The directive came from a meeting the People's Bank of China (PBOC) held with a few commercial banks earlier this week, the sources said. The sources, who received the directive, said banks were also told to encourage their clients to hold off on dollar purchases. Earlier this month, it announced it would increase the supply of dollars by lowering the amount of foreign exchange that banks must set aside. Sources told Reuters last month that China's currency regulators asked some banks to reduce or postpone their purchases of U.S. dollars in order to slow the yuan's depreciation.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Banks, Sid Mathur, Mathur, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, People's Bank of China, Reuters, BNP Paribas, Shanghai, Thomson Locations: China's, United States, China, Asia, Pacific, . China

European stocks (.STOXX) fell as much as 0.5% in early trading, with rate-sensitive tech stocks (.SX8P) losing 0.8%. And the latest spike in oil prices to 10-month highs is unlikely to escape the Fed's attention. Fuelling worries over persistent inflation were oil prices, which firmed after hitting a 10-month peak a day earlier. ECB HIKE BETSThe euro was down 0.1% at $1.074, after nearing one-week highs on the Reuters story which was published late on Tuesday. "The leak raises the possibility of a hawkish hike which would be much more supportive for the EUR," said Steve Englander, global head of G10 FX research at Standard Chartered, referring to the Reuters report.

Persons: Androniki, Robert Alster, you'll, Steve Englander, Tom Wilson, Stella Qiu, Shri Navaratnam, Christina Fincher Organizations: Nikkei, REUTERS, Consumer, Index, Federal Reserve, Management, European Central Bank, Reuters, ECB, Nasdaq, Brent, U.S, West Texas, Markets, Standard Chartered, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, SYDNEY, Asia, Pacific, London, Sydney

☆ Asian shares slip, oil hold gains ahead of US inflation test
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Both S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures were mostly unchanged. In Asia, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) slipped 0.3% while Tokyo's Nikkei (.N225) eased 0.1%. While core CPI is seen cooling to 4.3% year-on-year in August from 4.7%, rising energy costs are forecast to keep headline inflation elevated at 3.6%. And the latest spike in oil prices to ten-month highs is unlikely to escape the Fed's attention. On Wall Street, the S&P 500 fell 0.6% overnight, the Nasdaq declined 1% while Dow Jones was mostly flat.

Persons: Androniki, Ray Attrill, Dow Jones, Steve Englander, Stella Qiu, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Nikkei, REUTERS, Apple, Oracle, Thursday SYDNEY, European Central Bank, Reuters, ECB, Nasdaq, Tokyo's Nikkei, Consumer, Index, Federal, Fed, National Australia Bank, Brent, U.S, West Texas, Standard Chartered, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Europe, Asia, Pacific

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