ICMarket

Wednesday 18th October 2023: Asia’s Markets React to Strong Chinese Economic Data, U.S. Yield Surge


Global Markets:

  •  Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 0.13%, Shanghai Composite down 0.82, Hang Seng down 0.15% ASX up 0.30%
  • Commodities : Gold at $1949.05 (0.72%), Silver at $23.267 (1.09%), Brent Oil at $91.66 (1.89%), WTI Oil at $87.26 (2.07%)
  • Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.849, UK 10-year yield at 4.580, Germany 10-year yield at 2.899

News & Data:

  • (CAD) CPI m/m -0.1% vs 0.1% expected
  • (USD) Retail Sales m/m 0.7% vs 0.3% expected

Markets Update:

Asia’s markets had a turbulent afternoon of trading, reacting to stronger-than-expected economic data from China. China reported 4.9% growth in the July to September quarter compared to the previous year, surpassing economists’ expectations of 4.4%. The country also posted higher-than-expected retail sales data for September and saw a significant drop in urban unemployment. 

In response, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index dipped by 0.15%, and China’s CSI 300 index fell by 0.64%. Meanwhile, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 ended 0.3% higher, Japan’s Nikkei 225 edged up by 0.13%, South Korea’s Kospi remained flat, and Taiwan’s Taiex dropped by 1.21%.

In the United States, the S&P 500 closed almost unchanged, slipping by just 0.01%. Investors closely watched bond yield movements and monitored the ongoing corporate earnings season. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield reached 4.8%, its highest level since October 6. This surge followed better-than-expected U.S. retail sales data. The Nasdaq Composite lost 0.25%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.04%.

Upcoming Events: 

  • 12:15 PM GMT – CAD Housing Starts
  • 12:30 PM GMT – USD Building Permits
  • 12:30 PM GMT – USD Housing Starts
  • 2:30 PM GMT – USD Crude Oil Inventories

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