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Asia Roundup: Aussie eases as RBA slashes growth forecasts, dollar off highs against yen as coronavirus toll climbs, Asian shares plunge - Friday, February 7th, 2020

Market Roundup

  • OPEC+ mulls supply cut as virus hits demand
     
  • Gold set for worst week since early Nov
     

Economic Data Ahead

  • (0400 ET/0900 GMT) Italy retail sales s.a. MoM
     
  • (0400 ET/0900 GMT) Italy retail sales n.s.a. YoY
     

Key Events Ahead

  • No significant event scheduled

FX Beat

DXY: The dollar index held firm near a 4-month peak after data showed U.S. unemployment benefits dropped to a 9-month low and worker productivity rose. The greenback against a basket of currencies traded 0.05 percent up at 98.47, having touched a high of 98.57 on Thursday, its highest since Oct. 15.

EUR/USD: The euro declined, extending previous session losses after data showed German industrial orders unexpectedly plunged in December, suggesting the euro zone economy would remain sluggish in the opening months of 2020. The European currency traded down at 1.0981, having touched a low of 1.0964 on Thursday, its lowest since November 29. Investors’ attention will remain on a series of data from the Eurozone economies, ahead of the U.S. nonfarm payroll, unemployment data and wholesale inventories figures. Immediate resistance is located at 1.1009, a break above targets 1.1025. On the downside, support is seen at 1.0949, a break below could drag it below 1.0927.

USD/JPY: The dollar eased, retreating from a 2-week peak hit earlier in the session, as markets cautiously awaited a key U.S. jobs report. Moreover, uncertainty about the impact of the epidemic on global growth dented the upside in the pair. The major was trading 0.05 percent down at 109.93, having hit a high of 110.02 earlier, its highest since Jan. 22. Investors’ will continue to track the broad-based market sentiment, ahead of the U.S. nonfarm payroll, unemployment data and wholesale inventories figures. Immediate resistance is located at 110.10, a break above targets 110.29. On the downside, support is seen at 109.73, a break below could take it near at 109.49.

GBP/USD: Sterling consolidated near a 6-week low hit in the previous session amid concerns about negotiations between Britain and the European Union for a post-Brexit trade deal. The major traded 0.2 percent lower at 1.2945, having hit a low of 1.2921 on Thursday, it’s lowest since Dec. 24. Investors’ attention will remain on the trade negotiations, ahead of the U.S. fundamental drivers. Immediate resistance is located at 1.3031, a break above could take it near 1.3083. On the downside, support is seen at 1.2904, a break below targets 1.2834. Against the euro, the pound was trading 0.1 percent up at 84.81 pence, having hit a low of 85.37 on Tuesday, it’s lowest since Jan. 20.

AUD/USD: The Australian dollar declined, extending losses from the prior session, after the Reserve Bank of Australia slashed growth forecasts in its quarterly economic outlook due to bushfires and the coronavirus. The Aussie trades 0.2 percent down at 0.6720, having hit a high of 0.6774 on Wednesday, it’s highest since Jan. 29. Investors will continue to track overall market sentiment, ahead of U.S. economic releases. Immediate support is seen at 0.6700, a break below targets 0.6678. On the upside, resistance is located at 0.6765, a break above could take it near 0.6800.

NZD/USD: The New Zealand dollar plunged to a fresh 2-month low after Westpac said this week that New Zealand’s first quarter gross domestic product will be 0.6 percent lower than previously thought due to the impact of the coronavirus. The Kiwi trades 0.1 percent down at 0.6449, having touched a low of 0.6447 earlier, its lowest level since Dec. 2. Investors’ will continue to track broad-based market sentiment, ahead of U.S. economic data. Immediate resistance is located at 0.6505 (10-DMA), a break above could take it near 0.6552. On the downside, support is seen at 0.6424, a break below could drag it below 0.6402.

Equities Recap

Asian shares slumped as the growing death toll and economic damage from the coronavirus outbreak dented investor sentiment.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan plunged 0.7 percent.

Tokyo's Nikkei fell 0.2 percent to 23,827.98 points, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index declined 0.4 percent to 7,022.60 points and South Korea's KOSPI eased 0.7 percent to 2,211.95 points.

Shanghai composite index rose 0.1 percent to 2,869.39 points, while CSI 300 index traded 0.2 percent down at 3,893.40 points.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng traded 0.6 percent lower at 27,326.50 points. Taiwan shares shed 1.2 percent to 11,612.81 points

Commodities Recap

Crude oil prices eased as OPEC and its partner Russia gave mixed signals about possible further output cuts to mitigate the impact of any weakening in global demand due to the coronavirus outbreak.  International benchmark Brent crude was trading 0.05 percent lower at $55.11 per barrel by 0606 GMT, having hit a low of $53.68 on Tuesday, its lowest since Jan. 2019. U.S. West Texas Intermediate was trading 0.05 percent down at $51.02 a barrel, after falling as low as $49.42 on Tuesday, its lowest since Jan. 2019.

Gold prices edged higher as fears over a rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak and its economic impact boosted safe-haven buying, although China’s move to cut tariffs on some U.S. imports limited the upside. Spot gold was up 0.05 percent to $1,566.30 per ounce by 0610 GMT, having touched a low of $1547.55 on Wednesday, its lowest since Jan. 15 and has fallen 1.3 percent so far this week, heading for its worst week since Nov. 8. U.S. gold futures were flat at $1,570.70.

Treasuries Recap

The Australian bonds remained flat during Asian session of the last trading day of the week amid a muted trading session that witnessed data of little economic significance amid rise in China’s death tolls from the Coronavirus. The yield on Australia’s benchmark 10-year note, which moves inversely to its price, hovered around 1.049 percent, the yield on the long-term 30-year bond traded flat at 1.654 percent and the yield on short-term 2-year also remained steady at 0.752 percent.

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