Asian Stocks Slide as Chip Selloff Deepens Ahead of TSMC Earnings 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
Oil Prices Set for Weekly Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Fuels Supply Fears 
Trump Threatens Higher Canada Tariffs as Wildfire Smoke Sparks U.S. Air Quality Crisis 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
ECB's Kocher Says No Inflation Spillover Yet From Iran Conflict, Warns Risks Remain 
Malaysia Q2 Economy Grows 5.8%, Beating Forecasts on Strong Tech Exports and Domestic Demand 
Gold Prices Fall Amid Rate Jitters; Copper Steady as China Stimulus Eyed 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
New Zealand bonds ended Wednesday’s session on a choppy note as investors have started to shift away from safe-haven assets towards riskier counterparts, like oil and equities, following rise of slight optimism from the ongoing U.S.-China trade talks.
Also, the country’s employment report for the second quarter of this year pleased market participants, although the jobless rate failed to slow down, but the participation rate is clue to some good news going forward.
At the time of closing, the yield on the benchmark 10-year note, which moves inversely to its price, jumped nearly 3 basis points to 2.81 percent, the yield on the long-term 20-year note surged 2-1/2 basis points to 3.11 percent while the yield on short-term 2-year closed 2 basis points to 1.86 percent.
According to a report from Bloomberg, the U.S. and China are considering to re-start talks to avoid a trade collusion. U.S. Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He are holding "some quiet conversations" privately, CNBC reported.
Labour market conditions were generally firmer in the June quarter. Jobs growth was robust, though the unemployment rate ticked up slightly. With the economy moving closer to full capacity, the first signs of a stirring in wage growth are finally emerging.
The labour market figures are perhaps best seen as a corrective to the pessimism seen in recent business confidence surveys. Growth in activity has slowed from its peak, but businesses have remained open to hiring. And while wage growth has picked up, it’s not spiralling higher in the way that businesses seem to fear, Westpac Research reported.
Meanwhile, the NZX 50 index closed 0.70 percent lower at 8,859.92, while at 06:00GMT, the FxWirePro's Hourly NZD Strength Index remained neutral at -49.46 (a reading above +75 indicates a bullish trend, while that below -75 a bearish trend). For more details, visit http://www.fxwirepro.com/currencyindex
