Dollar Gets Support After Fed Officials See 2015 Rate Increase

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The dollar held a two-day advance after two Federal Reserve officials said they expect the central bank to raise interest rates this year.

The greenback maintained gains against most of its major counterparts Monday after New York Fed President William C. Dudley said such a policy move would probably be followed by gradual tightening. He echoed the sentiment of Chair Janet Yellen that an uncertain global outlook won’t postpone liftoff into 2016. San Francisco Fed President John Williams also repeated Monday that he expects rates to climb this year and warned of rapidly rising house prices.

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index, which tracks the currency against 10 major peers, was little changed at 1,214.38 as of 9:32 a.m. in Tokyo. The greenback was at 119.66 yen from 119.92, and almost unchanged at $1.1248 per euro.

Source: Bloomberg

Oil Falls to Two-Week Low as Chinese Data Signals Weaker Demand

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Oil fell to a two-week low as declining Chinese industrial profits signaled demand may be weakening in the biggest crude-consuming country after the U.S.

West Texas Intermediate futures slid 2.8 percent, erasing last week’s 2.3 percent gain. China’s industrial-company profits declined 8.8 percent in August, the most in at least four years. Investors are awaiting the release of measures of its factory output, and U.S. non-farm payrolls data are due later this week.

Crude had rebounded from a six-year low in August as weak prices forced U.S. drillers to idle rigs, causing production to slip in six of the past seven weeks. That rally is sputtering on speculation that a global glut will persist as Chinese economic growth slows and Iran prepares to boost exports should sanctions against the country be lifted.

Source: Bloomberg

Saham Jepang Gabung Selloff Global Seiring Topix Menuju Level Terendah Sejak Februari

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Aksi jual ekuitas global menyebar ke Jepang, mengirim indeks Topix menuju penutupan terendah sejak Februari.

Topix turun 2,4 persen ke level 1,404.83 pada pukul 09:03 pagi waktu Tokyo, dengan kerugian perusahaan ekspedisi dan pembuat baja memimpin penurunan. Indeks Nikkei 225 Stock Average turun 2,1 persen ke level 17,270.23. Yen menguat 0,1 persen ke level 119,75 per dolar setelah penguatan 0,6 persen pada hari Senin seiring investor melarikan aset berisiko. Indeks Standard & Poor 500 jatuh 2,6 persen ke posisi terendah dalam satu bulan imbas jatuhnya saham komoditas setelah data ekonomi yang lemah dari China dan penurunan saham bioteknologi.

E-mini futures S & P 500 naik 0,2 persen. Indeks saham bioteknologi AS jatuh 6 persen pada Senin setelah tenggelam ke bear market pekan lalu. Saham Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc merosot ke level terendah dalam empat tahun setelah partai Demokrat di DPR AS meminta untuk memanggil perusahaan untuk dokumen yang berkaitan dengan kenaikan harga obat, langkah terbaru oleh politisi yang berusaha untuk mengekang kenaikan harga pada obat.

Glencore Plc anjlok 29 persen di London pada Senin di tengah kekhawatiran bahwa pedagang komoditas dan penambang tidak memotong beban utang mereka dengan cukup cepat. Saham perusahaan juga terdaftar di Hong Kong, di mana pasar ditutup kemarin karena hari libur. Keuntungan industri China jatuh 8,8 persen pada Agustus dari tahun sebelumnya, laporan menunjukkan hari Senin. Keuntungan di sektor pertambangan batubara anjlok 64,9 persen dalam delapan bulan pertama tahun ini dari bagian yang sama dari 2014. (sdm)

Sumber: Bloomberg

Asian Futures Signal More Losses as Markets Roiled; Bonds Climb

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The selloff sweeping through global equity markets looked set to continue in Asia, with index futures signaling more declines amid mounting concern over the impact of China’s slowdown. Australian bonds rose and the yen held gains as rising volatility fueled demand for haven assets.

Futures on gauges from Japan to Australia slumped as a measure of global stocks tumbled to a two-year low, putting it on track for the worst quarter since 2011. U.S. index futures rallied amid the highest expected price swings for American equities since the start of September, after small-caps and biotechnology companies led Monday’s selloff. The dollar maintained gains against its high-yielding peers as more Federal Reserve officials backed a 2015 interest-rate rise, while copper futures extended their slump.

Nikkei 225 Stock Average futures were bid for 17,400 in the Osaka pre-market, after closing at 17,690 in Japan on Monday. Contracts on Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index slid 2 percent amid the rout in commodities, while futures on the FTSE China A50 Index declined 1.4 percent in most recent trading. Markets in Hong Kong and Taiwan resume trading Tuesday after a holiday, while South Korea is closed until Wednesday.

New Zealand’s S&P/NZX 50 Index, the first major stock gauge to start trading each day in the Asian region, retreated 0.9 percent by 12:04 p.m. in Wellington.

Source: Bloomberg

U.S. Stocks Fall as Biotech, Commodity Shares Lead Broad Selloff

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U.S. stocks tumbled toward the worst levels of last month’s selloff as global equities slid amid a rout in commodity and biotechnology shares.

 The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 2.6 percent to 1,881.85 at 4 p.m. in New York, down for a fifth consecutive session to a one-month low. The Russell 2000 Index slumped 2.9 percent to an 11-month low.

The S&P 500 is down 8.8 percent in the third quarter, poised for its worst fall since 2011. The benchmark is almost 12 percent below its all-time high set in May. The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index has closed above 20 for the past 26 sessions, the longest streak since January 2012.

A report today showed household spending climbed more than forecast in August and incomes also rose as the biggest part of the U.S. economy continued to power past a global slowdown. Separate data showed contract signings to purchase previously owned U.S. homes unexpectedly declined in August for just the second time this year, signaling residential real estate might have difficulty building on recent momentum.