Asia Mixed, Focus on US CPI
Asian stocks moved mixed on Thursday after Wall Street rallied and pushed the S&P 500 to a new record. A decline in US producer price inflation (PPI) bolstered confidence that the Fed could cut interest rates again next week. Early in the session, Australia weakened while Japan fluctuated; US futures continued to edge higher.
In the bond market, Treasuries stabilized after Wednesday's rally, while Australian and New Zealand debt strengthened. The dollar index tended to be flat and the yen strengthened against the greenback in early Asian trading—reflecting a "wait-and-see" mode ahead of tonight's CPI.
Positive sentiment was driven by the US PPI in August, which fell 0.1% month-on-month, with annual inflation at 2.6% and a cooling core. This strengthens projections for a 25 bps interest rate cut on September 17, although some market participants are still discussing the possibility of a 50 bps cut if core CPI is "below expectations," according to BMO.
Today's Asian agenda includes Australian inflation expectations and Malaysian industrial output, while the ECB is expected to hold interest rates. From a corporate perspective, Alibaba intends to raise approximately $3.17 billion through zero-coupon convertible notes—one of the largest this year—which will suppress its ADR in New York. (ayu)
Source: Newsmaker.id
