Asian markets end mixed ahead of Fed rate hike decision
HONG KONG: Most markets were mixed in Asia Wednesday as investors moved cautiously after the previous day’s sell-off, while focus is on a Federal Reserve policy decision with opinions split on whether or not it should hike interest rates again.
Oil prices also edged up but were struggling to make a dent in the steep losses sustained Tuesday as traders fret over a global supply glut, higher production and the outlook for demand.
With the US economy still healthy, the Fed’s board has been steadily lifting borrowing costs for the past couple of years as it treads a fine line between maintaining growth and keeping inflation in check.
However, its last meeting of 2018 has taken on major significance as the sell-off in equities this year, signs of slowing across the planet — including the US — and a series of other negative factors including the China trade row put pressure on the bank to pause.
Donald Trump has spent most of the year lambasting the Fed for its policy of monetary tightening and has called on it “not to make yet another mistake” on Wednesday.
And while the bank has ignored the president’s calls — and is tipped to hike again before slowing the pace next year — a number of economists and commentators are also now suggesting a break could be in order.
“While US economic signals are not flashing red, to keep the US economic momentum heading in the right direction many market participants believe the Fed should provide investors with some breathing room (as) higher interest rates coupled with tighter liquidity conditions have sent equity markets on a downward spiral since October,” said Stephen Innes, head of AsiaPacific trade at OANDA.
But Tai Hui, chief market strategist for Asia-Pacific at JP Morgan Asset Management, warned that such a move could have bad consequences.
“The important point to note for this... meeting is whether the committee’s median forecasts on the policy rate will have been impacted by recent market volatility,” he said.
“Given the cautious market sentiment, a slower pace of rate rises could be interpreted as a sign of weakness and put more pressure on risk assets.” Uncertainty stalked Asian trading floors Wednesday. Hong Kong edged up 0.2 per cent but Shanghai was down 1.1 per cent.
Full story @ timesofoman.com/business