Asian markets gain as US fed stops hikes, China cuts rates

June 15, 2023 (MLN): Asian markets rose Thursday after the Federal Reserve decided against hiking interest rates and China's central bank cut borrowing costs as officials look to kickstart the struggling economy, as APP reported.

After 10 straight increases since early 2022, US monetary policymakers stood pat at their latest meeting "to assess additional information and its implications for monetary policy".

However, they signaled more increases were likely to come later in the year as inflation was still double the bank's target rate and the jobs market remained tight.

The move to hold rates at 5.0-5.25% came a day after figures showed prices jumped 4.0% last month, the slowest pace since March 2021.

The reading added to hopes the Fed can guide the economy to a soft landing and eased worries it could tip into recession.

However, bank boss Jerome Powell said: "Looking ahead, nearly all committee participants view it as likely that some further rate increases will be appropriate this year to bring inflation down to 2% over time."

Edward Moya at OANDA said policymakers were "concerned that wage pressures will remain as the labor market remains very tight".

"With the US banking system remaining resilient and robust job gains, the Fed needs to deliver more tightening and that is why the dot plots (officials' projections) are pricing in two more small rate hikes."

The news got a mixed reception on Wall Street, with the Dow finishing lower but the S&P 500 and Nasdaq rising modestly.

"The skip was expected, but I think markets are left a little confused on the dot plot and Powell's commentary," said Brendan McKenna of Wells Fargo.

"We may need some clarification in the near future, and until we get that, Asia may trade a bit sideways for the time being."

Asia started the day on the front foot, with extra support coming from news that the People's Bank of China had cut a key interest rate as it tries to inject some energy into the world's number two economy.

Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore, and Taipei all rose though there were losses in Seoul, Manila, and Jakarta.

The reduction in the medium-term lending facility -- the interest for one-year loans to financial institutions -- to 2.65% followed a surprise cut in a shorter-term rate earlier in the week.

It also comes as speculation swirls that authorities will unveil a raft of stimulus measures aimed at helping the battered property sector and lifting consumer activity.

A series of lackluster economic indicators in recent weeks have signaled the country's post-Covid recovery is running out of steam, with inflation up only 0.2% on-year in May, while factory activity contracted for the second consecutive month.

Retail sales, the main indicator of household consumption, rose 12.7% in May, down from 18.4% a month earlier, while youth unemployment hit a record high.

"The signal is very important because it's a reversal of policy direction," Dong Chen, at Pictet Wealth Management, told Bloomberg TV.

"Now policymakers have to press the gas pedal a lot harder. In the near term, we need continuous monetary and fiscal support."

Bets on further rate hikes by the Fed lifted the dollar against its major peers, hitting its highest level against the yen since November, putting pressure on the Bank of Japan to shift from its ultra-low rates policy.

Traders are now looking ahead to a policy decision by the European Central Bank later Thursday, with another hike expected. The Bank of England is due to meet next week.

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