(Bloomberg) — The euro strengthened on signs Marine Le Pen’s far-right party is unable to govern outright following the first round of France’s legislative elections. Asian stocks will be in focus amid further signs China’s economy is struggling.
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Initial election results showed Le Pen’s National Rally won with a smaller margin than some polls had indicated with opponents already strategizing how to keep the far-right party out of power. The euro rose in Asian trading after the results lifted concerns that a very strong showing for Le Pen’s party would have increased the odds of expansive fiscal policy, further muddying the outlook for the common currency.
“A scenario where NR could rule on its own now looks less likely,” which lifted the euro as concerns on fiscal largess eased, said Rodrigo Catril, a strategist at National Australia Bank in Sydney. “We now need to wait and see how the second round shapes up and if other parties can cobble together a united opposition to RN.”
Japanese stocks rallied at the open, while futures contracts in Hong Kong slipped. Investors will have a keen eye on Chinese stocks Monday after factory activity contracted for a second straight month in June. The private Caixin China manufacturing PMI release is also scheduled later Monday.
The moves came as concerns lingered on whether Asia’s stock rally can persist. While the MSCI Asia Pacific index rose 2.1% last quarter, its third straight quarterly gain, a souring Chinese economy saw the nation’s stocks enter a technical correction last week, while investors are concerned that the pace of Japan’s stock market rally may slow in the second half of the year.
Elsewhere in Asia, South Korean currency traders will be on tenterhooks amid fears of a lift in volatility as the won’s new trading hours come into effect. Confidence among Japan’s large manufacturers rose, data on Monday showed, leaving the door open for the Bank of Japan to consider an interest rate hike later this month. Yield for the nation’s 10-year benchmark bond rose three basis points.
One in three economists surveyed by Bloomberg expects a rate hike at the next gathering. The yen dropped to the lowest level since 1986 last week, prompting some analysts to flag a heightened risk of a rate move as Governor Kazuo Ueda has pledged to watch the yen’s impact on inflation closely.
Economy Cooling
As the quarter ended in the US on Friday, a swath of data indicated the world’s biggest economy is cooling without lasting damage to consumers. US consumer sentiment declined by less than initially estimated on expectations inflationary pressures will moderate and the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge marked its smallest advance in six months. Treasuries edged lower Monday.
Traders will shift attention to European assets later Monday amid movements by Le Pen’s opposition to form alliances to block her right-wing party from gaining power at the second round of voting. Of interest will be bond markets after the extra yield investors demand to hold 10-year French notes over safer German debt rocketed to more than 80 basis points prior to the vote, levels last seen during the euro area’s sovereign debt crisis.
“If they start to look credible, then we could see French markets recover,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB Ltd. “If fears about a hard right government start to recede, we should see it in the French–German yield spread first.”
In corporate news, Boeing Co.’s shares will be front of mind when US markets open after it agreed on Sunday to purchase Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc. in an all-stock deal that values the company at $4.7 billion, according to people with knowledge of the transaction. Still, the US Justice Department will charge the company with criminal fraud, leaving the planemaker to choose between pleading guilty or taking the risk of going to trial.
In commodities, oil was little changed as traders gauged China’s economic outlook and geopolitical risks in Europe and the Middle East. Gold edged lower after it wavered on Friday as traders digested the US inflation data.
Key events this week:
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Australia retail sales, Monday
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Japan Tankan report, Monday
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China Caixin manufacturing PMI, Monday
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Eurozone S&P Global Eurozone Manufacturing PMI, Monday
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Indonesia CPI, Monday
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India HSBC Manufacturing PMI, Monday
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UK S&P Global / CIPS UK Manufacturing PMI, Monday
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US construction spending, ISM Manufacturing, Monday
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ECB President Christine Lagarde speaks, Monday
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Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel speaks, Monday
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RBA issues minutes of June policy meeting, Tuesday
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South Korea CPI, Tuesday
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Eurozone CPI, unemployment, Tuesday
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Fed Chair Jerome Powell speaks, Tuesday
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ECB President Christine Lagarde speaks, Tuesday
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China Caixin services PMI, Wednesday
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Eurozone S&P Global Eurozone Services PMI, PPI, Wednesday
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Poland rate decision, Wednesdsay
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US FOMC minutes, ISM Services, factory orders, trade, initial jobless claims, durable goods, Wednesday
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ECB President Christine Lagarde speaks, Wednesday
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New York Fed President John Williams speaks, Wednesday
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Sweden’s Riksbank issues minutes of June meeting, Wednesday
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Australia trade, Thursday
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Brazil trade, Thursday
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UK general election, Thursday
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European Union provisional tariffs on China EVs set to be introduced, Thursday
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ECB publishes account of June’s policy meeting, Thursday
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US Independence Day holiday, Thursday
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Philippines CPI, Friday
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Taiwan CPI, Friday
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Thailand CPI, international reserves, Friday
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Eurozone retail sales, Friday
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France trade, industrial production, Friday
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Germany industrial production, Friday
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ECB President Christine Lagarde speaks, Friday
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Canada unemployment, Friday
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US unemployment, nonfarm payrolls, Friday
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New York Fed President John Williams speaks, Frida
Some of the main moves in markets:
Stocks
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S&P 500 futures rose 0.2% as of 9:15 a.m. Tokyo time
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Hang Seng futures fell 0.4%
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Japan’s Topix rose 0.9%
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Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.7%
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Euro Stoxx 50 futures fell 0.2%
Currencies
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The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was little changed
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The euro rose 0.2% to $1.0739
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The Japanese yen was little changed at 160.94 per dollar
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The offshore yuan was little changed at 7.2997 per dollar
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The Australian dollar was little changed at $0.6673
Cryptocurrencies
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Bitcoin rose 1% to $62,542.6
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Ether rose 0.4% to $3,430.15
Bonds
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The yield on 10-year Treasuries advanced two basis points to 4.41%
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Japan’s 10-year yield advanced three basis points to 1.080%
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Australia’s 10-year yield advanced 11 basis points to 4.42%
Commodities
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West Texas Intermediate crude rose 0.3% to $81.75 a barrel
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Spot gold fell 0.2% to $2,323 an ounce
This story was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation.
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