KHATMANDU: Asian stocks slipped on Monday as increased geopolitical risks prompted investors to favor safe-haven bets such as government debt while the dollar drew support from Federal Reserve policy tightening expectations. European markets were set to follow in Asia’s footsteps with index futures pointing to a broadly flat start.
The cautious backdrop – fed by increasing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the Korean Peninsula – contrasted with rising optimism about the outlook for global growth, with Chinese data this week expected to show the economy performing well.
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“The geopolitical risks will continue to hold markets back this week though there may be some opportunities for individual stock or sector plays,” said Alex Wong, a fund manager at Ample Capital Ltd. in Hong Kong, with about $130 million in assets.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell for a third consecutive session, heading back towards a three-week low tested on Friday. A US Navy strike group will be moving toward the western Pacific Ocean near the Korean peninsula as a show of force, a US official told Reuters on Saturday, as concerns grow about North Korea’s advancing weapons program.
Korean stocks led regional losers with the main index falling to its lowest levels since mid-March as foreigners sold stocks for a sixth consecutive session.
Hong Kong bucked the regional weakness, due to strength in property stocks and financial counters. Australian shares were also stronger, up 0.6 percent at a near two-year high as higher oil and metal prices propped up commodity plays.
“The risks of a conflict have certainly grown and that should keep the dollar supported against most Asian currencies with hawkish comments from the US central bank also helping,” said Gao Qi, an FX strategist at Scotiabank in Singapore.
Economic data also offered little support with major US indexes closing lower in choppy trade after a key jobs report on Friday showed the economy added 98,000 jobs in March, the fewest since last May and well below economists’ expectation of 180,000.
