In Monday’s trading session, most Asian markets witnessed a downturn, despite Tokyo’s Nikkei index reaching new all-time highs following record closures of two of the three main US indices. The recent market surge, fueled by outstanding results from US tech giant Nvidia, prompted investors to engage in profit-taking, leading to a moderation in the impressive rally, analysts noted.
On Friday, Wall Street saw the Dow and the S&P closing at record highs, while the Nasdaq, dominated by tech stocks, experienced a slip, following a notable three-percent surge the day before.
Rodrigo Catril, National Australia Bank’s senior FX strategist, observed that the advance of Nvidia moderated, and other major tech stocks saw a decline after a robust run driven by artificial intelligence.
Tokyo’s Nikkei index managed to defy the trend, rising by 0.5 percent and surpassing the December 1989 record it had smashed on the previous Friday. However, Chinese shares struggled, with Hong Kong opening higher before losing 0.6 percent, and Shanghai down by 0.4 percent.
Despite the Chinese government expressing intentions to stimulate its economy through “piecemeal incentives” such as boosting sales of cars and home appliances, Asian markets experienced setbacks.
Singapore recorded a 0.9 percent drop, Seoul fell by 0.5 percent, while Bangkok, Jakarta, and Wellington reported declines. Sydney remained relatively flat, and Taipei gained a modest 0.1 percent.
Oil prices continued their descent, extending losses from Friday, as the G7 countries pledged new sanctions against Russia, marking two years since its invasion of Ukraine. Catril highlighted concerns about a lack of demand for crude oil, coupled with uncertainty arising from the new sanctions.
Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management expressed expectations of a slowdown in the global oil supply throughout the year. He pointed to challenges facing the Chinese economy and the Federal Reserve’s efforts to mitigate inflationary pressures as factors likely to impact global growth and oil demand.
Looking ahead, the upcoming week holds significant indicators, including January Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for Australia and Japan. The week culminates in a “Super Friday” featuring key inflation and manufacturing data releases from both the United States and China, adding to the ongoing market uncertainties.
