Asian markets rise after upbeat Chinese GDP data

Sydney — Asian share markets swung higher on Wednesday as a raft of Chinese data easily beat expectations in a sign Beijing’s policy stimulus may finally be gaining traction in the world’s second-largest economy.

Investors were hoping for better news from China and were not disappointed with first-quarter economic growth pipping forecasts at 6.4%.

More importantly industrial output surged 8.5% in March from a year earlier, blowing away forecasts of a 5.9% increase. Retail sales also pleased with a rise of 8.7%.

Investors reacted immediately by buying the Australian dollar, often a liquid proxy for China plays, which pushed up 0.3% to a two-month top at $0.7206.

Japan’s Nikkei added 0.5% to reach its highest in almost five months, while E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 rose 0.2%.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.2% to near its highest since July.

“This suggests that policy measures introduced by Chinese officials last year are now bearing fruit,” said Rodrigo Catril, a senior forex strategist at National Australia Bank.

“We had positive surprises on credit data and housing data last week and now GDP has come in better than expectations, which is building the case that a recovery is on the way,” he said. “We see the revival of the Chinese economy as a necessary condition for an improvement in global growth outlook.”

In currency markets, the dollar finally managed to top resistance on the yen at 112.13 to reach its highest since December at 112.16. It was last at 112.02.

The dollar was flat on a basket of currencies at 96.991, still within the 95.00 to 97.70 range that has held for the past six months.

The euro edged up a touch to $1.1298, having slipped from $1.1314 overnight on a Reuters report that several European Central Bank policymakers think the bank’s economic projections are too optimistic.

One currency on the move was the New Zealand dollar, which sank as far as $0.6668 after annual consumer price inflation came in well below expectations at just 1.5% for the first quarter.

Yields on two-year bonds dived 9 basis points to 1.48% as investors wagered the Reserve Bank of New Zealand would have to cut rates in response.

The improved Chinese data later gave it a helping hand back up to $0.6723.

In commodity markets, the general improvement in risk sentiment saw spot gold slip to its lowest for the year so far and was last at $1,276.61/oz.

Oil prices were buoyed as fighting in Libya and falling Venezuelan and Iranian exports raised concerns over tightening global supply.

US crude was last up 48c at $64.53 a barrel, while Brent crude futures rose 27c to $71.99.

Reuters