Asian Market Update: 1-year high in Australia CPI gives AUD an added boost
***Observations/Insights*** - US earnings season kicks into higher gear with more disappointing results in the tech space - BRCM, ALTR, JNPR all down in extended session on soft guidance. - Australia Q3 CPI rises to a 1-year high on sequential basis with a fairly even split between tradable and non-tradable components, sending AUD to multi-week highs against USD and NZD. AUD/USD and AUD/JPY rise above $0.9750 and ¥99.50 respectively - both at the highest level since early June. AUD/NZD hits a 6-week high above NZ$1.1490, with some relative NZD weakness following comments from Fin Min English talking down the currency. S&P/ASX at the highest levels since late 2008. - PBoC continues to stay out of the way of upward bias on the yuan; USD/CNY set at a fresh record lows, just as China Premier talks down market concerns regarding govt debt levels while investors await the formal findings of a state-sanctioned audit. - BOJ governor enthused by the progress made on inflation; Local press speculates cabinet office will not raise its economic assessment in October; Japan earnings season formally opens tomorrow with results from Canon.
***Economic Data*** - (AU) AUSTRALIA Q3 CONSUMER PRICES (CPI) Q/Q: 1.2% (1-year high) V 0.8%E; Y/Y: 2.2% V 1.8%E - (AU) AUSTRALIA SEPT DEWR SKILLED VACANCIES M/M: 0.5% V 0.6% PRIOR (4th consecutive month of increase) - (AU) AUSTRALIA AUG CONFERENCE BOARD LEADING INDEX M/M: -0.2% V +0.2% PRIOR - (US) API PETROLEUM INVENTORIES: CRUDE: +3M (4th consecutive build) v +2Me
***Fixed Income/Commodities/Currencies*** - (JP) BOJ offers to buy ¥250B in 1-3yr JGB, ¥350B in 3-5 yr JGB, ¥200B in JGB with maturity over 10-yr - SLV: iShares Silver Trust ETF daily holdings fall to 10,367 tonnes (lowest since 10,284 on July 23rd) from 10,391 tonnes prior - GLD: SPDR Gold Trust ETF daily holdings rise 6.6 tons to 878.3 tonnes (first rise since 9/19) - USD/CNY: (CN) PBoC sets yuan mid point at 6.1330 v 6.1395 prior setting (new Yuan record high setting)
***Speakers/Political/In the Papers*** - (CN) China Premier Li Keqiang: China govt debt is broadly safe and under control - Chinese press - (CN) China may issue new property curbs policies in Q4 - Chinese press - (JP) Japan PM Abe: Will move steadily towards fiscal health targets - addressing parliament - (JP) Bank of Japan (BOJ) gov Kuroda: BOJ easing effects are materializing; Japan is gradually moving towards 2% inflation target - adressing parliament - (JP) Japan Cabinet Advisor: Japan will not be able to persuade markets unless inflation target is achieved by monetary policy alone - financial press - (JP) Japan govt expected to maintain economic assessment unchanged for Oct - Nikkei News - (AU) NAB head of Australia economics Brooker: Still in environment where price increases are soft - SMH - (KR) Bank of Korea (BOK) Gov Kim: South Korea should prepare for changes in external conditions - financial press - (NZ) New Zealand Fin Min English: govt shares concern on exchange rate value
***Equities*** Market Snapshot (as of 03:30 GMT): - Nikkei225 +0.2%, S&P/ASX +0.2%, Kospi -0.3%, Shanghai Composite -0.9%, Hang Seng +0.3%, Dec S&P500 -0.2% at 1,746, Dec gold -0.3% at $1,339, Nov crude oil -1.6% at $97.62/brl
US markets: - CREE: Reports Q1 $0.39 v $0.39e, R$391.0M v $393Me; -13.4% afterhours - IRBT: Reports Q3 $0.26 v $0.26e, R$124.5M v $127Me; -9.5% afterhours - USNA: Reports Q3 $1.16 v $1.14e, R$173.7M v $169Me; -8.7% afterhours - BRCM: Reports Q3 $0.76 v $0.69e, R$2.15B v $2.13Be; -8.1% afterhours - ALTR: Reports Q3 $0.37 v $0.34e, R$445M v $452Me; -6.0% afterhours - PNRA: Reports Q3 $1.35 v $1.35e, R$572.5M v $585Me; -3.1% afterhours - JNPR: Reports Q3 $0.33 v $0.31e, R$1.19B v $1.17Be; -1.8% afterhours - CNI: Reports Q3 C$1.72 (adj) v C$1.58e, Rev C$2.7B v C$2.6Be; Authorizes new share repurchase program (4.1% of shares outstanding), two-for-one stock split; -0.1% afterhours - ACE: Reports Q3 $2.49 v $2.22e, net premiums earned $4.61B v $4.67B y/y; +0.1% afterhours - AMGN: Reports Q3 $1.94 v $1.77e, R$4.75B v $4.61Be; raises FY13 outlook; +1.5% afterhours - SWY: Buyout firms said to be interested in buying Safeway either as a whole or in parts - financial press; +4.1% afterhours - APOL: Reports Q4 $0.55 ex items v $0.25e, R$845M v $823Me; +15.8% afterhours - GLW: Reports prelim Q3 $0.33 v $0.32e, $2.1B v $2.1B; Strengthens Strategic Collaboration with Samsung; Corning authorizes additional $2B share repurchase program (approx 10% of market cap) ; +25.8% afterhours
Notable movers by sector: - Consumer discretionary: Jtekt Corp 6473.JP -2.2% (cuts H1 guidance) - Consumer staples: Beijing Sanyuan Foods Co Ltd 600429.CN -10.0% (Q3 results) - Industrials: Nidec Corp 6594.JP +6.4% (H1 results) Nippon Paint Co 4612.JP -2.8% (to delist from Nagoya Exchange); China Railway Construction Corp Ltd 1186.HK +0.5% (to sell stake in JV); Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd 7270.JP +1.0% (speculation on expansion); Chengdu Road & Bridge Engineering Co Ltd 002628.CN +10.1% (awarded contract); Sichuan Guodong Construction Co Ltd 600321.CN +3.1%, Sichuan Expressway Co Ltd 107.HK +4.4% 601107.CN +10.0%, Sichuan Road & Bridge Co Ltd 600039.CN +10.0% (Sichuan Province plans large scale investment) - Materials: Discovery Metals DML.AU -9.6% (Q3 production results) - Financials: Ping An Bank Co Ltd 000001.CN +4.6% (Q3 results) - Healthcare: Jiangzhong Pharmaceutical Co Ltd 600750.CN -5.2% (Q3 results); China National Medicines Corp Ltd 600511.CN +4.7% (Q3 results) - Telecom: ZTE Corp 763.HK -4.6% (Q3 results) - Utilities: Huaneng Power International Inc 600011.CN -5.1% (Q3 results); TEPCO 9501.JP +1.2% (cost reduction plans)