Stocks
Asian stocks tank after US data fans recession fears
Tokyo led a plunge across Asian equities Monday, while the yen hit a six-month high after weak US jobs data fanned fears of a recession in the world’s top economy and boosted bets on several Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.
The sell-off followed another hefty day of losses on Wall Street, where heavyweight tech firms including Amazon and Microsoft took the brunt owing to worries an AI-fuelled rally this year may have been overdone.
A much-anticipated report Friday showed the US economy added just 114,000 jobs last month, well down from June and far fewer than expected, while the jobless rate rose to the highest level since October 2021.
The news came a day after lacklustre factory data that stoked concerns that Fed officials may have held borrowing costs at more than two-decade highs too long.
That has led to speculation the economy could be in for a hard landing and tip into recession.
Markets are “still reeling from last Friday’s seismic shifts in the global financial landscape”, said Stephen Innes in his Dark Side Of The Boom newsletter.
“The trigger? A US employment report that missed the mark so badly didn’t just drop jaws — it dropped stocks and bond yields while sending volatility and rate cut expectations through the roof.”
He pointed out that “the mood was already souring in Asia” following a disappointing bath of earnings from tech titans such as Tesla and Alphabet as well as a rate hike by the Bank of Japan and more weak Chinese economic data.
“Mix these, and you have the perfect market meltdown recipe.”
The losses in New York were followed in Asia, with Tokyo’s Nikkei tanking more than seven percent at one point, while Taipei and Seoul were also heavily sold.
The selling was also making officials in Tokyo sit up after the Nikkei shed 5.8 percent on Friday — its biggest loss since 2021 during the pandemic. The market is down almost 20 percent from its record high touched just a month ago.
– More Fed cuts on cards? –
Japan’s top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said it “will continue to stay on its toes and monitor market developments with keen interest”.
“We’re aware there are various evaluations regarding the stocks plunge this time around, and about the status of the Japanese economy, but the government will continue its efforts to completely break free of deflation and to transition to a growth-driven economy.”
The biggest losers were tech firms, with chip titan TSMC losing more than six percent in Taipei, while Seoul-listed Samsung was off more than five percent and SK hynix down around four percent.
Hong Kong and Shanghai dropped, with traders brushing off a set of directives released by China aimed at boosting household consumption in the world’s number two economy.
There were also big losses in Sydney, Singapore, Manila, Jakarta and Wellington.
The yen broke through 145 per dollar for the first time since January as the jobs report ramped up expectations the Fed will slash rates.
The US central bank had signalled after its latest meeting Wednesday that slowing inflation and a softening labour market meant it could cut next month, with traders predicting two or three 25-basis-point reductions before January.
Now there is speculation it will lower rates a full percentage-point in that time.
Taylor Nugent at National Australia Bank said: “The Fed doesn’t meet again until September 18. There is one more payrolls report and two (consumer price indexes) before then.
“It’s hard to imagine they could stop the Fed cutting in September, with interest instead on whether they support a 50-basis-point move and how rapid cuts will be going forward.”
The yen — which just last month hit a nearly four-decade low close to 162 to the dollar — was also boosted by the Bank of Japan’s decision last week to hike interest rates for just the second time in 17 years and suggestion more could be on the way.
– Key figures around 0230 GMT –
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 4.6 percent at 34,247.56 (break)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.1 percent at 16,753.94
Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.5 percent at 2,891.93
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 145.15 yen from 146.52 yen on Friday
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0916 from $1.0912
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2785 from $1.2802
Euro/pound: UP at 85.50 pence from 85.22 pence
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.1 percent at $73.59 per barrel
Brent North Sea Crude: FLAT at $76.81 per barrel
New York – Dow: DOWN 1.5 percent at 39,737.26 (close)
London – FTSE 100: DOWN 1.3 percent at 8,174.71 (close)
Dhaka Stock Market DSE, Bourse on the last working day of the week, 19th September, ended with a hike in Indices and Turnover from the previous working session. This information is known from DSE sources.
594 crore 77 lakh taka shares were traded on this day. 41 crore 11 lakh less tradings were done in DSE today compared to the previous workday, 18th September, Shares worth Tk 553 crores 65 lakh shares were traded last time, Wednesday.
The benchmark DSEX added 41.13 points or 5,735 The Shariah-based index DSES gained 12.13 point or 1,257 and the blue-chip index DS30 increased by 29.46 points or 2,106.
Of the issues traded, 150 advanced, 191 declined and 56 remained unchanged.
SK Trims Limited ranked top gainer on DSE, the share price increased by Tk 1.50 paisa or 8.57 percent. On this day, the share was last traded at Tk 19.00 paisa.
Hami Industries PLC ranked top loser on the DSE, the share price dropped by Tk 9.80 paisa or 9.40 percent. On this day, the share was last traded at Tk 94.50 paisa.
DSE topped on trade is grameenphone Limited 31 crore 47 lakh takas of company shares have been traded.
A total of 33 companies’ shares were traded in the Block on Dhaka Stock Exchange. A total of 1 crore 70 lakh 41 thousand 263 shares of the companies were traded. The financial value of which is 49 crore 16 lakh taka.
Tokyo’s Nikkei led Asian markets higher Thursday as the yen hit a two-week high after the Federal Reserve announced a bumper interest rate cut and pledged a series of further reductions that boosted sentiment.
After a keenly awaited meeting the US central bank decided to lower borrowing costs for the first time since the start of the pandemic by opting for a half-point reduction.
However, the bigger of two options — some had expected a 25-basis-point cut — split opinion, with some warning it could reignite inflation while others said it showed the bank was keeping ahead of the curve in supporting the economy in light of weak jobs data.
The bank’s “dot plot” guidance indicated another 50 points of reductions before January, followed by 100 next year and 50 in 2026.
After the meeting, Fed boss Jerome Powell said the economy was in “good shape” pointing to lower inflation and solid growth.
“The labour market is in a strong place. We want to keep it there,” he told reporters.
But he cautioned that the central bank would “go carefully” and weigh the matter “meeting by meeting” as it looks to keep easing.
“It is time to recalibrate our policy to something that is more appropriate, given the progress on inflation, and on employment moving to a more sustainable level.
“This is the beginning of that process.”
Equities have rallied through the year on expectations the cycle of tightening, which started in 2022, would come to an end this year as inflation slows and the labour market softens.
But, after an initial burst higher following the announcement — pushing the S&P 500 to a new record — Wall Street retreated and ended in the red.
Analysts pointed out that investors had largely factored in 125 points of reductions this year, so a correction in valuations was to be expected.
Christian Hoffmann at Thornburg Investment Management said: “Considering the one dissenting voice from a governor… the Fed must have grappled with concerns not just about doing too much versus too little, but also concerns about signalling to markets, and perhaps more subtly, political optics and legacy considerations.
“The setup for this meeting was not ideal. With the market almost evenly split between a 25 basis point and 50 basis point cut, hopes were bound to be dashed. On top of that, US equity indices rallied nearly every day last week and are flirting with all-time highs and elevated valuations.”
Asian markets brushed off the weak US lead and mostly rose, with Tokyo piling on more than two percent as exporters were boosted by a weaker yen, which hit almost 144 per dollar, a level last seen at the start of the month.
That was just days after breaking below 140 for the first time since last summer.
There were also healthy gains in Hong Kong, where the de facto central bank lowered its own rates owing to the city’s currency peg to the dollar, while Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore, Wellington, Taipei, Manila and Jakarta also advanced.
Investors are now turning their attention to the Bank of Japan’s policy meeting, which concludes Friday and is expected to see officials stand pat, having sent markets into turmoil last month with a surprise hike — after doing so earlier this year for the first time since 2007.
Gold was sitting around $2,550, having burst to a new record high above $2,600 as the prospect of lower rates makes the precious metal more attractive as an investment.
– Key figures around 0230 GMT –
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 2.5 percent at 37,284.43 (break)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.6 percent at 17,757.70
Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.3 percent at 2,725.31
Dollar/yen: UP at 143.61 yen from 142.29 yen on Wednesday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3182 from $1.3207
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1092 from $1.1120
Euro/pound: DOWN at 84.14 pence from 84.17 pence
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.8 percent at $70.37 per barrel
Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.5 percent at $73.26 per barrel
New York – Dow: DOWN 0.3 percent at 41,503.10 (close)
London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.7 percent at 8,253.68 (close)
The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has appointed two new independent directors to the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) board, following a dispute that prevented the previous appointees from assuming their positions. Additionally, seven independent directors have been appointed to the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE). These decisions were made during a commission meeting held on September 18, 2024.
According to a press release from BSEC, the newly appointed independent directors for the DSE are AF Nesaruddin, partner at Hoda Vasi Chowdhury and Co., and Syeda Zakeerin Bakht Nasir, chief consultant and CEO of Z N Consultants. They will replace KAM Majedur Rahman and Helal Uddin, who were unable to take up their roles due to concerns over their appointments violating board regulations. Both individuals have since declined their positions.
The seven independent directors appointed to the CSE are Alamgir Morshed, CEO of Infrastructure Development Company; Professor Saiful Islam from BUET; AKM Habibur Rahman, former managing director of Teletalk; Professor Mahmud Hassan from North South University; M Zulfiquar Hussain, CEO of Grow n Excel; Naznin Sultana, Finance Director at Asian University for Women; and Farida Yasmin, Deputy Secretary at the Financial Institutions Division.
This reshuffling follows a political shift in early August, after which the BSEC verbally requested all independent directors from both the DSE and CSE to resign. On September 1, the BSEC had already appointed seven independent directors to the DSE, though none have yet assumed their roles.
The DSE board, as per the demutualisation scheme, consists of 13 members: seven independent directors, five shareholder directors (one representing strategic investors), and the managing director, who serves as an ex-officio member.
