Asian stocks wobble amid trade indecision, OPEC meeting


  • Asian shares flash mixed signals as doubts over the phase-one and OPEC’s initial announcement keep the gains in check.
  • Post-RBI reaction, PBOC’s no MLF change and stimulus hope to keep the traders entertained.
  • Trade sentiment turns cautious ahead of the US employment data.

While calls of trade progress from the United States (US) diplomats keep the Asian shares on the positive side, gains are checked as global media keep mum about the same. An end of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) first day of meeting also flashed mixed signals. While global oil producers agree on a broad 500K output cut, the leader Saudi Arabia wants it to be confirmed by the non-OPEC members.

With this, MSCI’s index of Asia-Pacific shares seesaw around 0.30% in profits while Japan’s NIKKEI benefits from the government’s call of extensive stimulus while downbeat data favor further monetary policy easing. Additionally, China’s central bank, the People’s Bank of China, (PBOC), offered no change to the Medium-term Lending Facility (MLF) rate despite injecting injected 300 billion Chinese Yuan (CNY) in one-year operations. The same could be witnessed in Chinese indices that are mostly in green but a lack of clarity over the trade deal with the US cap the overall gains around 0.20-0.50%.

India’s BSE SENSEX raises doubts over the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) latest surprise pause while marking a 0.40% loss. Further, Hong Kong’s HANG SENG also follows the suit of Chinese shares with mild gains whereas Korea’s KOSPI seems to the biggest winner with nearly 1.0% gains.

Market’s risk tone also stays sluggish with the US 10-year treasury yields taking rounds to 1.80% and the S&P 500 Futures marking soft gains to 3,125.

Looking forward, traders will keep eyes on the US and Canadian employment data to foresee near-term market moves. It should also be noted that trade/political headlines could also offer intermediate moves.

Share: Feed news

Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.

If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.

FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.

The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.

Recommended content


Recommended content

Editors’ Picks

EUR/USD climbs to 10-day highs above 1.0700

EUR/USD climbs to 10-day highs above 1.0700

EUR/USD gained traction and rose to its highest level in over a week above 1.0700 in the American session on Tuesday. The renewed US Dollar weakness following the disappointing PMI data helps the pair stretch higher.

EUR/USD News

GBP/USD extends recovery beyond 1.2400 on broad USD weakness

GBP/USD extends recovery beyond 1.2400 on broad USD weakness

GBP/USD gathered bullish momentum and extended its daily rebound toward 1.2450 in the second half of the day. The US Dollar came under heavy selling pressure after weaker-than-forecast PMI data and fueled the pair's rally. 

GBP/USD News

Gold rebounds to $2,320 as US yields turn south

Gold rebounds to $2,320 as US yields turn south

Gold reversed its direction and rose to the $2,320 area, erasing a large portion of its daily losses in the process. The benchmark 10-year US Treasury bond yield stays in the red below 4.6% following the weak US PMI data and supports XAU/USD.

Gold News

Here’s why Ondo price hit new ATH amid bearish market outlook Premium

Here’s why Ondo price hit new ATH amid bearish market outlook

Ondo price shows no signs of slowing down after setting up an all-time high (ATH) at $1.05 on March 31. This development is likely to be followed by a correction and ATH but not necessarily in that order.

Read more

Germany’s economic come back

Germany’s economic come back

Germany is the sick man of Europe no more. Thanks to its service sector, it now appears that it will exit recession, and the economic future could be bright. The PMI data for April surprised on the upside for Germany, led by the service sector.

Read more

Forex MAJORS

Cryptocurrencies

Signatures