Share

Asian markets extend gains on Brexit stimulus bets

Hong Kong - Asian markets rose for a second day on Wednesday on hopes that authorities will unveil fresh stimulus to counter the effects of Britain's shock vote to leave the European Union.

After Friday's battering, regional investors have this week led a return to global equities and higher-yielding currencies.

However, analysts warned there would likely be a period of volatility as Britain and its EU partners try to hammer out an exit agreement.

Wednesday's gains built on the previous day's advance after Seoul unveiled a $17bn plan to support South Korea's already fragile economy, while news emerged that Japan was considering a similar move.

Before the Tokyo bourse opened, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Finance Minister Taro Aso and Bank of Japan chief Haruhiko Kuroda held talks on containing the Brexit crisis.

"The panic selling in global markets has eased," Chihiro Ohta, a senior strategist with SMBC Nikko Securities, told Bloomberg News.

"The fact that there's a meeting going on between the government and the Bank of Japan will serve as a psychological anchor."

Japan's Nikkei ended the morning session 1.4% higher, while Hong Kong was up 0.9%, Shanghai gained 0.4% and Sydney put on 0.7%.

Seoul jumped 1.3%, while Singapore, Taipei and Wellington each tacked on about 1%.
The advances follow sharp gains in New York and Europe.

And while the British pound edged down slightly against the dollar, it has stabilised around $1.33, well up from the 31-year-low of $1.3121 it touched on Monday.

'Unnerving calm'

In a sign that traders have calmed, higher-yielding, riskier, currencies edged up - Malaysia's ringgit gained 0.6% and the South Korean won was 0.5% higher, while the Australian dollar and Indonesian rupiah also pushed up.

Oil also built on the previous day's strong gains, with West Texas Intermediate up one percent and Brent 0.8% higher.

Stephen Innes, senior trader at OANDA Asia Pacific, said in a note: "The fiscal stimulus rumours saw risk appetite back on cue."

But he warned: "This relative calm is unnerving, given how fragile investor sentiment is, and the likelihood of renewed (pound) volatility.

As a result, FX markets should remain a hot spot for the foreseeable future. Liquidity is gradually improving and appears to have weathered the initial Brexit sell off."

Attention is now on how Britain negotiates its way out of the EU after four decades of partnership.

Adding to the uncertainty is the fact Prime Minister David Cameron has said he will stand down in the autumn, leaving his successor to hammer out the deal.

Meeting in Brussels, impatient EU leaders on Tuesday called on Cameron to speed up the split, warning Britain cannot expect special treatment outside the bloc.

Cameron said he wants the break to be "as constructive as possible" and that he wanted the "closest possible relationship" with Europe afterwards.

But German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned he could not "cherry-pick" in the exit negotiations - and there would be a price for Britain to pay.

Angus Nicholson, a markets analyst at IG in Melbourne, told clients the crisis "looks like it may be heading into an awkward period of uncertainty".

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
19.11
+0.4%
Rand - Pound
23.80
-0.4%
Rand - Euro
20.46
-0.0%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.40
-0.2%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.4%
Platinum
920.40
-1.1%
Palladium
1,026.50
+1.1%
Gold
2,322.61
-0.2%
Silver
27.34
+0.6%
Brent Crude
87.00
-0.3%
Top 40
68,051
+0.8%
All Share
74,011
+0.6%
Resource 10
59,613
-2.2%
Industrial 25
102,806
+1.7%
Financial 15
15,897
+1.8%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders