By Yoshiaki Nohara - Oct 9, 2013 12:18 PM GMT+0400
Asian stocks outside Japan fell on concern the impasse over the U.S. debt limit may lead to a default and after the International Monetary Fund cut its global outlook. Japan’s Topix index capped the biggest gain in almost three weeks after the yen weakened.
Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd. fell 3.4 percent in Hong Kong after Goldman Sachs Group Inc. sold the carmaker’s shares at a discount, according to a term sheet obtained by Bloomberg. WorleyParsons Ltd. lost 2.9 percent in Sydney after the mining-services provider said it expects 2014 fiscal first-half earnings to decline. SoftBank Corp. (9984) slumped 5.7 percent after Citigroup Inc. cut the Japanese mobile carrier’s equity rating. Toyota Motor Corp., Asia’s biggest auto manufacturer, gained 3 percent in Tokyo after falling as much as 0.7 percent.
A visitor looks at an electronic board displaying stock figures at the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo. Photographer: Junko Kimura/Bloomberg
Oct. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Ronald Wan, chief China adviser at Asian Capital HK Co., talks about the nation's economic outlook, stocks and investment strategy. He also speaks about Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.’s planned initial public offering in New York. Wan speaks with Rishaad Salamat on Bloomberg Television's "On the Move." (Source: Bloomberg)
Oct. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Jesper Koll, head of Japan strategy at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in Tokyo, talks about the Japanese government's economic policies and their impact on the nation's stock market. The Bank of Japan refrained from adding to unprecedented monetary stimulus after business confidence surged and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe decided the economy was strong enough to weather a sales-tax increase. Koll speaks with Susan Li on Bloomberg Television's "Asia Edge." (Source: Bloomberg)
Oct. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Ashok Kumar, an analyst at Maxim Group LLC, talks about Samsung Electronics Co.'s financial performance and business outlook. Samsung, the world’s biggest maker of smartphones, posted third-quarter profit that beat estimates as sales of cheaper handsets in emerging markets cushioned the impact of slowing demand for high-end devices. Kumar speaks with Susan Li on Bloomberg Television's "First Up." (Source: Bloomberg)
The MSCI Asia Pacific ex-Japan Index slid 0.2 percent to 465.81 as of 5:08 p.m. in Tokyo, while the broader regional gauge rose 0.3 percent to 138.86. The Topix climbed 1.5 percent, the biggest gain since Sept. 19. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index slumped 1.2 percent yesterday after President Barack Obama said the U.S. economy risks a “very deep recession” should Congress not raise the $16.7 trillion borrowing limit.
“Markets don’t like indecision and bickering by the government,” said Angus Gluskie, managing director at White Funds Management in Sydney who oversees about $550 million. “Political parties are prepared to use these agreements as a bargaining chip. You certainly see a point of nervousness and concern for investors.”
Regional Indexes
New Zealand’s NZX 50 Index fell 0.6 percent, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index added 0.1 percent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index (HSI) fell 0.6 percent. Singapore’s Straits Times Index gained 0.3 percent, and Taiwan’s Taiex index dropped 0.4 percent. The Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.6 percent. South Korea’s markets were closed today for a holiday.
The International Monetary Fund cut its global outlook for this year and next as capital outflows further weaken emerging markets, and warned that a U.S. government default could “seriously damage” the world economy. Growth worldwide will be 2.9 percent this year and 3.6 percent next year, the IMF said, compared with July predictions of 3.1 percent for 2013 and 3.8 percent for next year.
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index traded at 13.3 times estimated earnings yesterday, compared with 14.9 for the S&P 500 and 14 for the Stoxx Europe 600 Index, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Geely Drops
Geely dropped 3.4 percent to HK$4.26. A unit of Goldman Sachs raised $309 million selling 578 million shares of the carmaker at HK$4.15 each, a 5.9 percent discount to yesterday’s close.
Japanese exporters jumped as the yen fell against most of its 16 major counterparts. A weaker yen enhances the value of overseas earnings at Japanese companies. Toyota gained 3 percent to 6,230 yen. Komatsu Ltd., a maker of construction machinery that gets 30 percent of its sales in the Americas, added 2.4 percent to 2,316 yen.
Mizuho Financial Group Inc., Japan’s third-largest bank by market value, dropped 1 percent to 204 yen after saying a former top executive knew it was lending to crime groups three years ago. The bank had earlier said that only compliance officials were aware of the transgression.
WorleyParsons lost 2.9 percent to A$22.10, reversing earlier gains of 2.2 percent, after saying earnings in fiscal 2014 will be more heavily weighted to the second half than in recent years.
SoftBank Downgraded
SoftBank dropped 5.7 percent to 7,000 yen after its rating was cut to neutral from buy at Citigroup. Market expectations may be too high for the company’s acquisition of Sprint Corp., analyst Hideki Takoh wrote in a report dated yesterday.
Futures on the S&P 500 gained 0.3 percent as the White House prepared to nominate Janet Yellen to succeed Ben S. Bernanke as chairman of the Federal Reserve. Yellen, vice chairman of the central bank since 2010, has articulated the case for maintaining accommodative monetary policy.
“Generally people feel Yellen will take a line that’s not dissimilar from Bernanke, which will be reasonably dovish and accordingly supportive for markets,” Gluskie at White Funds Management said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Yoshiaki Nohara in Tokyo at ynohara1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Sarah McDonald at smcdonald23@bloomberg.net
