Key Points:
- S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 dropped, snapping two-day rally
- Investors weigh Fed comments, outlook in China markets
Asian stocks opened slightly higher Tuesday amid fragile sentiment following a choppy session on Wall Street and ahead of a slew of Chinese economic data.
Shares rose in Japan and South Korea while Australian equities declined. Futures indicated gains later for Hong Kong. Contracts for the S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 rose in Asia after both indexes fell around 1% Monday, snapping a two-day rally.
The dollar and Treasury yields held their advance, with the 10-year rate around 3.87% after Federal Reserve speakers highlighted resolve to be persistent until inflation heads back down to levels consistent with the 2% target. Fed Vice Chair Lael Brainard briefly buoyed sentiment after she said it would be appropriate “soon” to slow the pace of interest-rate hikes.
Despite these positive signs in Asia and indications of moderating inflation in the US, higher borrowing costs are a headwind for the global economy.
In Japan, the economy shrank in the three months through September, as consumers spent less amid a resurgence of Covid-19 cases and the weak yen battered trade. The yen traded around 140 versus the dollar on Tuesday, having strengthened from the 150 level seen in October.
Elsewhere, oil extended losses as concerns over the near-term demand outlook overshadowed signs of tightening supply heading into winter.