Asian Market Update: Fed comments give a boost, but markets cannot sustain with continued global uncertainties; Singapore GDP at multi-year low
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| 08:44 |
***Economic Data***
- (KR) SOUTH KOREA Q4 PRELIM GDP Q/Q: 0.4% V 0.5%E; Y/Y: 3.4% V 3.5%E
- (SG) SINGAPORE DEC INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION M/M: 7.8% V 2.2%E; Y/Y: 12.6% V 6.4%E
- (JP) JAPAN DEC CORPORATE SERVICE PRICE INDEX Y/Y: 0.1% V 0.0%E (1st increase in 2 months)
- (JP) Japan investors bought ?234B in foreign bonds last week v ?387B bought in prior week
- (HK) Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) Keeps base rate unchanged at 0.5%; As expected
- (US) US Q3 FORECLOSURE HOMES AT 20% OF ALL RESIDENTIAL SALES VS 22% PRIOR IN Q2 - REALTYTRAC
***Markets Snapshot (as of 05:30GMT)***
- Nikkei225 -0.3%
- S&P/ASX closed
- Kospi +0.3%
- Taiwan Taiex closed
- Singapore Straits Times -0.1%
- Shanghai Composite closed
- Hang Seng +1.1%
- S&P Futures -0.1% at 1,319
- Feb Gold +0.7% at $1,711/oz
- March Crude +0.7% at $100.10
***Overview/Top Headlines***
- Markets started the day off strong, Hong Kong Hang Seng opened at its highest level since early September after several days of being closed, before paring back opening gains with the Nikkei and Straits Times Index falling into negative territory. Initial strength was feeding off the US FOMC announcing that rates will be kept on hold until 2014, previously had indicated mid-2013, also boosting the markets were comments from Fed Chairman Bernanke that the central bank is considering additional easing steps, with asset purchases. The stalemate over a Greek solution was largely ignored with the US in focus. South Korea's economy grew at its slowest pace since the 2008 financial crisis in preliminary Q4 data, q/q 0.4% and y/y at 3.4%. However, South Korea vice Fin Min said Q4 GDP was not weak enough to warrant any new fiscal stimulus.
- US equity futures were little changed in the session. New Zealand's NZX50 gained just a 0.1% after the RBNZ kept rates on hold with little reaction in the NZ$. USD/JPY stayed in the upper ?77 range with little movement against the euro. A$ and NZ$ both gained around 30 pips, A$ saw its biggest jump after the Russian Central Bank indicated it would diversify into the currency. S$ gained 0.5% against the dollar to S$1.2557. London copper continued to gain for the 3rd consecutive day and higher crude prices boosted oil names across Asia. Brent crude also rose in the session to $110.83 on expected increased demand, combined with continued lower rates in the US which will spurring on the economy.
***Speakers/Geopolitical/In the press***
- (HK) HKMA Chief Chan: 2012 inflation will slow from 2011; Not seeing any significant capital outflows
- (PH) Philippine Central Bank Gov Tetangco: Fed has provided some policy breather; To continue monitoring global developments
- (KR) Bank of Korea (BoK) Gov Kim: EU debt crisis is weighing on domestic capex and consumption; If external conditions stabilize, consumption and investment will improve
- (NZ) Westpac chief economist Stephens: "Global situation remains tenuous, so for a typically conservative central bank to acknowledge some improvement is actually a meaningful bit of information about the RBNZ's thinking" - NZ press
- (HK) According to Midland Realty property sales during the 5-day Lunar New Year break were at the lowest level in 16-years - HK Standard
***Equities***
- NEC, 6701.JP: Reports 9-month Net loss ?97.5B v loss ?53.6B y/y; Op loss ?1.4B v loss ?12.4B y/y; Rev ?2.11T v ?2.19T y/y; Will not pay dividend this year; To cut 10K jobs worldwide
- NZO.NZ: Will impair all investment in Pike River, totaling NZ$21M
- 066570.KR: According to NPD Group, US 3D TV market share for LG Electronics in Q4 rose to 29.6% from 7.9% in Q1 - Korean press
- Tepco, 9501.JP: Strength attributed to press report that Tepco is close to a ?1.0T injection of public funds - financial press
- Foxconn, 2317.TW: Brazil govt has given several fiscal incentives to produce Apple's iPad in Brazil - Brazil press
- Elpida, 6665.JP: Will not comment on Nikkei News report it would consider amending its charter to increase the max number of tradable shares
- Hyundai Motor, 005380.KR: Reports Q4 Net profit KRW2.0T v 2.3Te; Op profit KRW2.1T v KRW2.3Te; Rev KRW20.5T v KRW21Te
***US Equities***
- SNDK: Reports Q4 $1.29 v $1.26e, R$1.58B v $1.6Be; Guides Q1 Rev $1.30-1.35B v $1.5Be; Guides initial FY12 $6.2-6.6B v $6.7Be - conf call; -8.5% afterhours
- SWK: Reports Q4 $1.36 (adj) v $1.29e, R$2.79B v $2.8Be; -1.8% afterhours
- SYMC: Reports Q3 $0.42 v $0.41e, R$1.72B v $1.7Be; +1.1% afterhours
- NFLX: Reports Q4 $0.73 v $0.55e, R$876M v $858Me; +6.9% afterhours
- LSI: Reports Q4 $0.10 v $0.10e, R$523M v $526Me; +15.9% afterhours
***FX/Fixed Income/Commodities***
- JGB: Japan's MoF sells ?1.0T 20-yr 1.8% JGBs (1.7% prior); bid-to-cover: 3.16x v 2.90x prior
- (MA) Malaysia Central Bank to offer MYR4.0B in Islamic Govt bonds
- (KR) According to Korea National Oil Corp gasoline prices were KRW1,973/liter on Monday (18th consecutive daily rise) - Korean press
- GLD: SPDR Gold Trust ETF daily holdings rise by 9.1 tons to 1,259.6 tons (highest since 1,267.9 on Dec 21st)
- SLV: iShares Silver Trust ETF daily holdings fall to 9,510.7 tons from 9,516.8 tons (lowest level since 9,500 on July, 2011)
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