HONG KONG, April 20 — Tokyo led a sell-off in Asian markets today after Wall Street pulled back from record levels in overnight trade and with Japan fearing a renewed Covid-19 surge.
Both the Dow and the S&P 500 finished last week at new peaks and also posted their fourth consecutive weekly gains, following on the heels of strong data for American housing starts, employment and retail sales.
But analysts said that a combination of dollar weakness and a lull in fresh data ahead of upcoming corporate results had tamped down enthusiasm.
“It seems like investors might be having a bit of a second thought up here as US earnings season starts to heat up and peak optimism is beginning to set in,” said Stephen Innes of Axi.
Investors were looking to “cash in some chips” to move back into real world assets, he added, citing the big drop in bitcoin down to around US$54,400 (RM223,981) today.
The digital currency had crept above US$62,000 in a fresh high last week despite bubble concerns.
The Nikkei was down two per cent at the end of trade after investors took in calls for new states of emergency in the Osaka region and possibly Tokyo, prompted by rising case numbers.
The new measures could involve tougher restrictions including asking shops and restaurants to close, according to local media.
“Along with increased new coronavirus infections, the possibility of a state of emergency declaration is growing, which is turning on an amber light for economic recovery,” Okasan Online Securities said in a commentary.
A weak greenback against the yen and other benchmark currencies was also weighing on Japanese trade.
“US dollar weakness... mostly appears to be driven by European strength,” said NAB analyst Rodrigo Catril.
“The market has become slightly more optimistic around the European vaccine rollout and economic outlook of late... As the rollout picks up, European equities should also start to outperform,” he wrote in a note.
Wall Street’s dream run was also likely to lose momentum with an ongoing Senate battle in Washington over the size of proposed corporate tax increases and the extent of infrastructure stimulus, Catril added.
Oil builds up strength
Hong Kong was up 0.1 per cent and Shanghai was down the same amount at the end of the Asian day, while London was down 0.2 per cent an hour into morning trade.
Sydney was down 0.7 per cent after a Reserve Bank meeting while Mumbai climbed 0.1 per cent after finishing Monday nearly two per cent lower as India battles a snowballing Covid-19 outbreak.
Oil’s forward curve continued on Tuesday with both major benchmarks up by more than one per cent, a year after the pandemic pushed them into negative territory.
Axi’s Innes cautioned the commodity was still “trading on a jittery note” in the wake of rising coronavirus cases in Asia.
Expectations that the United States and Iran could eventually return to a nuclear deal, potentially within weeks, were also stabilising price growth, he added.
Key figures around 0810 GMT
Tokyo — Nikkei 225: DOWN 2.0 per cent at 29,100.38 (close)
Hong Kong — Hang Seng Index: UP 0.1 per cent at 29,135.73 (close)
Shanghai — Composite: DOWN 0.1 per cent at 3,472.94 (close)
London — FTSE 100: DOWN 0.2 per cent at 6,985.54
Dollar/yen: UP at 108.41 yen from 108.12 yen
Pound/dollar: UP at US$1.3984 from US$1.3919
Euro/dollar: UP at US$1.2066 from US$1.2042
Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.29 pence from 86.51 pence
West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.0 per cent at US$64.04 per barrel
Brent North Sea crude: UP 1.2 per cent at US$67.87 per barrel
New York — Dow: DOWN 0.4 per cent at 34,077.63 (close) — AFP
