Asian Market Update: China stocks rebound as money market rates fall; All eyes on tomorrow's flash PMI
***Economic Data*** - (JP) JAPAN DEC ALL INDUSTRY ACTIVITY INDEX M/M: -0.1% V +0.1%E - (JP) JAPAN DEC FINAL LEADING INDEX CI: 111.7 V 112.1 PRELIM; COINCIDENT INDEX: 111.7 V 111.7 PRELIM - (JP) JAPAN JAN NATIONWIDE DEPT STORE SALES Y/Y: 2.9% V 1.7% PRIOR; TOKYO DEPT STORE SALES: 5.4% V 3.6% PRIOR - (AU) AUSTRALIA Q4 WAGE COST INDEX Q/Q: 0.7% V 0.6%E; Y/Y: 2.6% V 2.5%E - (AU) AUSTRALIA JAN SKILLED VACANCIES M/M: 1.4% V 1.7% PRIOR - (AU) AUSTRALIA JAN WESTPAC LEADING INDEX M/M: -0.2% (largest decline since Oct 2011) v +0.1% PRIOR - (AU) AUSTRALIA DEC CONFERENCE BOARD LEADING INDEX M/M: 0.8% V 0.1%E (23-month high) - (KR) SOUTH KOREA Q4 SHORT-TERM EXTERNAL DEBT: $112.8B V $111.5B PRIOR - (CL) CHILE CENTRAL BANK CUTS OVERNIGHT RATE TARGET BY 25BPS TO 4.25%; AS EXPECTED
***Highlights/Observations/Insights*** - Australia earnings season rolls on with a H1 miss from Fortescue Metals coming after a strong set of numbers from BHP; Woodside Petroleum earnings and sales also slide; Both FMG and WPL affirmed FY14 production outlook. - Ukraine opposition emboldened by support from the West after meeting with Merkel; Clashes with security forces escalate into the night with about 20 killed and hundreds injured; Several deaths also reported from rising political tensions in Thailand. - Shanghai reverses yesterday's selloff, rising by over 1% going into the final hour of the session; Traders are relieved to find overnight shibor rates at multi-month lows despite the PBoC draining liquidity through repos in its first open market operation of the week yesterday; Sentiment should remain fickle, with expectations for HSBC Flash manufacturing PMI data on tap for tomorrow to show further contraction. - Nikkei pares outsized gains after yesterday's BOJ decision. A number of analysts saw the expansion in the fixed-rate scheme as a "warning shot" that the BOJ would not wait to assess the impact of sales tax hike before easing further, however influential economic adviser Hamada hinted that only a "serious" BOJ would produce meaningful economic growth. USD/JPY saw its session lows below 102.15 just after the Hamada comments.
***Fixed Income/Commodities/Currencies*** - (CN) Daily Shibor fixings: O/N: 2.4030% v 2.6800% prior (7th consecutive decline, lowest since May 14th) - JGB: (JP) Japan's MoF sells ¥1.10T in 1.6% (1.6% prior) 20-year JGBs; Avg yield: 1.459% v 1.538% prior; bid-to-cover: 3.67x v 5.32x prior - (AU) Australia MoF (AOFM) sells A$800M in 3.25% 2025 Bonds; avg yield: 4.2344%; bid-to-cover: 4.63x - (NZ) Fonterra Global Dairy Trade auction: Dairy Trade price index -1.2% from prior auction; First decline in 3 auctions and biggest decline in 7 auctions - USD/CNY: (CN) PBoC sets yuan mid point at 6.1103 v 6.1073 prior setting (Weakest setting since Jan 22nd)
***Speakers/Political/In the Papers*** - (CN) Follow-up: Jilin Trust said to have missed a payment on a trust tranche due today; Trust tranche in the amount of about CNY100M - Chinese press - (CN) Former World Bank chief economist Justin Lin: China economic slowdown largely due to external and cyclical factors; China can meet 7-8% GDP in the coming years - financial press - (CN) China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) Chairman Shang: China should boost credit risk control on LGFV; overall risks for banks manageable - People's Daily - (CN) China National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC): China Jan crude oil production 17.77Mt, +0.4% y/y - financial press - (CN) China big four banks new loans CNY170B in Feb 1st-16th - financial press - (CN) Shanghai Stats Bureau: Shanghai Jan trade volume rose 16.5% y/y vs national average of 10.3% due to the start of Shanghai free trade zone - Shanghai Daily - (JP) Japan BOJ Gov Kuroda: Aims to put downward pressure on bond yields - addressing parliament - (JP) Japan PM Abe's Econ Adviser Hamada: Monetary policy can boost Japan growth if BOJ is serious on the policy - (UR) Follow-up: Ukraine's opposition leader Klitschko: Talks with Pres Yanukovych have failed to bring a solution and end violence in Kiev - financial press
***Equities*** Market Snapshot (as of 04:30 GMT): - Nikkei225 -0.8%, S&P/ASX +0.2%, Kospi -0.5%, Shanghai Composite +0.6%, Hang Seng flat, Mar S&P500 -0.1% at 1,835, Apr gold -0.6% at $1,316, Mar crude oil +0.3% at $102.71/brl
US markets: - COLM: Reports Q4 $1.05 v $0.89e, R$533M v $497Me; Raises quarterly dividend 12% to $0.28 from $0.25; +7.1% afterhours - CF: Reports Q4 $5.71 v $4.38e, R$1.33B v $1.24Be; +4.7% afterhours - NBR: Reports Q4 $0.26 adj v $0.20e, R$1.61B v $1.54Be; +2.6% afterhours - HLF: Reports Q4 $1.28 adj v $1.24e, R$1.27B v $1.24Be; +1.6% afterhours - FLR: Reports Q4 $1.01 v $0.98e, R$6.29B v $6.75Be; +0.1% afterhours - PNRA: Reports Q4 $1.96 v $1.95e, R$662M v $664Me; -1.4% afterhours - CYH: Reports Q4 $0.49 (ex items) v $0.69e, R$3.23B v $3.22Be; -1.9% afterhours - TEX: Reports Q4 $0.65 adj v $0.49e, R$1.81B v $1.81Be - filing; -3.5% afterhours - QCOM, IDCC: Follow-up: China National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC): Investigation into Qualcomm still at initial stage; Currently studying IDC's request to suspend the investigation - Q&A from news conference
Notable movers by sector: - Consumer Discretionary: Bega Cheese BGA.AU +4.9% (H1 results); Jiahua Stores Holdings 602.HK -2.5% (profit warning); Southern Cross Austereo SXL.AU -7.8% (H1 results) - Financials: Bank of Beijing 601169.CN +4.8% (cooperation with Xiaomi); WesFarmers Limited WES.AU -0.8% (H1 results); CITIC Securities 6030.HK -2.0% (trading system crash in today's session); Macau Legend Development 1680.HK -5.8% (FY13 results) - Materials: Fortescue Metals Group FMG.AU -1.3% (H1 results); Toll Holdings TOL.AU -5.0% (H1 results); Ausenco Ltd AAX.AU -8.5% (FY13 results); Mount Gibson Iron MGX.AU -15.4% (H1 results) - Energy: Woodside Petroleum WPL.AU -0.9% (FY13 results); China Shenhua Energy 1088.HK -1.9% (Jan coal output); Anhui Tianda Oil Pipe 839.HK +14.4% (positive profit alert) - Industrials: Hengxin Technology 1085.HK +47.5% (FY13 results); Ridley Corp RIC.AU +3.7% (H1 results); Cathay Pacific Airways 293.HK -2.0% (crew and passengers hurt in severe turbulence) - Technology: Canon Inc 7751.JP +2.2% (shares repurchase plan);