Asian shares edged up on Tuesday, but moved off their session highs amid caution about volatile crude oil prices and ahead of this week’s widely anticipated US interest rate increase.
European shares were expected to rebound in early trading from the previous session's sell-off in which they marked their lowest levels in 2-1/2 months. Financial spreadbetters at IG expected Britain's FTSE 100 to open 1.2 percent higher. Germany's DAX was seen up by 1.5 percent, while France's CAC 40 was also seen 1.5 per cent higher. China's yuan, meanwhile, weakened further against the dollar after the People's Bank of China (PBOC) set its official midpoint rate at its lowest level in more than four years for a second day. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up about 0.2 per cent in afternoon trade. But Japan's Nikkei stock index ended down 1.7 per cent at a 7-1/2-week low, extending losses as crude oil prices resumed their slide.
An expected US rate increase at this week’s Fed’s monetary policy meeting has also made investors wary. “Investors remain jittery before the event, but after some correction, the market will likely provide bargain hunting opportunities,” said Masayuki Kubota, chief strategist at Rakuten Securities. “A US hike signals a US economic recovery, and it is generally positive to the Japanese market.”
On Wall Street, major indexes erased early losses and returned to positive territory as oil prices found their legs. The S&P500 e-mini futures were up 0.1 per cent in Asian trade. US crude oil erased earlier gains and was down 0.3 per cent to $36.22 after falling as low as $34.53 on Monday before rebounding to end nearly 2 per cent higher. Brent crude also slid about 0.5 per cent to $37.75 after falling as low as $36.33 a barrel on Monday, its weakest level since December 2008. A fall below $36.20 would take oil down to levels not seen since 2004. Investors have mostly priced in a Fed rate hike this week, with the main question now turning to how many increases will follow next year.
Traders see an 83 per cent chance the Fed will lift its targeted rate range from 0.25 per cent to 0.50 per cent at the policy-setting meeting, from the current zero to 0.25 percent range, according to CME Group’s FedWatch program. “Even if the Fed sends a hawkish message by suggesting it aims to hike actively next year, they are data-dependent,” said Shin Kadota, chief FX strategist at Barclays in Tokyo. “Indicators will have to show the U.S. economy can withstand rate hikes before the dollar can launch into its next phase of appreciation.”
In Asian trade, the dollar edged down about 0.2 per cent against a basket of currencies to 97.388 . It was down 0.2 per cent against the Japanese currency at 120.77 yen, while the euro added 0.3 per cent to $1.1028 . The Australian dollar edged up to $0.7242, bolstered by relatively upbeat minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australia’s December policy review, which said recent positive economic trends suggest a steady interest rate outlook in the near-term. Spot gold prices added about 0.1 per cent to $1,063.70 an ounce, nursing losses after they skidded 1 per cent on Monday. Investors have been cutting gold positions in anticipation of the Fed’s rate increase.
Reuters
