Stocks steady but growth fears linger

Emerging-market stocks steadied on Tuesday, but Chinese shares fell over 1% as the outlook for global growth remained murky before the next round of trade talks between the United States and China. Currencies in the developing world weakened as the dollar rebounded after US Treasury yields edged higher.

US yields pulled back from 15-month lows they reached on Monday when weak European and US data caused the US yield curve to invert, a signal of a possible recession.

“We reiterate that growth concerns may be overblown,” said analysts from Maybank in a note. “Though global growth momentum is easing, this does not mean there is no growth.”

MSCI’s index for emerging-market stocks rose after two days of losses. Most Asian markets gained, except for mainland China, which extended losses from the previous session.

South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.2% as foreigners turned net buyers following the previous day’s losses.

Samsung Electronics slipped 0.5% after the company blamed a first-quarter profit warning on declining chip prices and slowing demand for display panels.

Stocks on Moscow’s MOEX index rose, led by gains in shares of energy companies as oil prices rose and the results of an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election continued to lift sentiment.

Most emerging-market currencies slipped. South Africa’s rand led losses as investors awaited Thursday’s central bank meeting, which is expected to leave interest rates unchanged at 6.75%.

Turkey’s lira continued its recovery after slumping as much as 6% on Friday after Turks bought more dollars until the central bank stepped in to maintain price stability.

The cost of insuring exposure to Turkey’s sovereign debt soared to a six-month high on Monday, after the country’s financial regulators opened investigations into JP Morgan and other banks accusing them of providing misinformation that stoked FX volatility.

India’s rupee was among the few gainers on track for its best month of gains since November last year.

In emerging Europe, Hungary’s forint was weaker against the euro before its central bank meets at 1400 GMT. A slim majority of analysts expect the bank to start tightening monetary policies.

Source: moneyweb.co.za