Global Market Quick Take: Asia – June 29, 2023

What’s happening in markets?

US equities (US500.I and USNAS100.I): little changed in choppy session; cruise liners advance, Nvidia drops

US stocks concluded a volatile trading session with minimal movement. The S&P 500 index remained nearly flat at 4,376, while the Nasdaq 100 saw a marginal increase of 0.1% to reach 14,964. On the other hand, the Russell 2000 index recorded a gain of 0.5%, closing at 1,858. The energy sector emerged as the top-performing sector within the S&P 500, rising 1% propelled by a rally in crude oil prices.

Nvidia (NVDA:xnas) dropped by 1.8% as investors were weighing the potential impact on the chipmaker’s revenues amid reports suggesting that the Biden Administration might implement an additional ban on the export of AI chips to China. Saxo's Peter Garnry provides a detailed analysis of the subject in his article here.

Tesla, on the other hand, advanced 2.4% ahead of its upcoming announcement of second-quarter deliveries numbers, anticipated over this weekend. The cruise line operations and timber stocks outperformed, driven by strong consumer confidence and favorable home sales data earlier in the week. Carnival (CCL:xnys) soared 8.8% and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH:xnys) added 7.6%. Weyerhaeuser (WY:xnys) surged 4.3%.

In extended trading hours, Micron (MU:xnas) gained 3% after reporting FY Q3 revenue that surpassed estimates and providing positive guidance.

Treasuries (TLT:xnas, IEF:xnas, SHY:xnas): yields dropped on strong demand for 5 and 7-year notes

Treasuries were initially weighed by Fed Chair Powell’s higher-for-longer comments but bounced strongly in New York afternoon to finish higher in prices and lower in yields. The rally was driven by large block buying in the 5-year T-note futures (ZFU3) and a strong 7-year auction. The USD25 billion 7-year notes were stopped at 1.1bps richer than the level at the auction deadline and registered a decent 2.65 bid-to-cover ratio with strong participation (75.3%) from indirect bidders. Yields on the 2-year, 5-year, and 10-year notes fell by 5bps to 4.71%, by 6bps to 3.97%, and by 6bps to 3.71% respectively. The market continues to price in one more 25bp rate high and most probably in July.

Hong Kong & Chinese equities (HK50.I & 02846:xhkg): Hang Seng and CSI300 Indices Stall, consumer stocks shine

The Hang Seng Index and CSI300 Index remained stagnant near recent lows, failing to extend the previous rally. However, market reactions to reports regarding potential additional US export bans on microchips were relatively subdued. The Hang Seng Index fluctuated between gains and losses throughout the day, ultimately closing 0.1% higher. Consumer stocks advanced, with sportswear and catering companies outperforming. Among the top winners of the Hang Seng Index were Shenzhou (02313:xhkg), Anta (02020:xhkg), and Haidilao (06862:xhkg).

Meanwhile, the Hang Seng Tech Index gained 0.8%, primarily driven by electric vehicle (EV) stocks. XPeng (09868:xhkg) jumped 11.2%, while Nio (09866:xhkg) surged by 7.2%. XPeng is set to launch its new G6 model today and has plans to commence shipments in July.

In the A-share market, technology, media, and telecommunication sectors weighed on the overall market performance. Conversely, coal mining, electricity utilities, and electric equipment stocks gained amid increased coal consumption in electricity generation, driven by a widespread heatwave. Additionally, the food and beverage sector also saw positive growth.

FX: AUD slid over 1% on soft CPI

The Australian dollar fell around 1.3% after the CPI unexpectedly tumbled to 5.6% in May from 6.8% in April and much below the 6.1% expected. The pessimism toward the Chinese economy also weighed on the sentiment about the AUD.

Crude oil: WTI gained 2% on US inventory drop

WTI crude oil rose by 2% after data from the American Petroleum Institute indicated a larger-than-expected 2.4 million barrel weekly decline.

What to consider?

Federal Reserve stress test: all 23 large U.S. banks deemed well-capitalized to withstand severe economic and market scenarios

The Federal Reserve has announced the results of its annual stress test conducted on the 23 large banks in the U.S The test concluded that each of these banks possesses adequate capital to absorb losses and maintain lending operations even under highly challenging conditions. The hypothetical stress scenarios employed in the test encompassed various adverse factors, including a 10% rise in the unemployment rate, a 38% decline in house prices, a 40% decrease in commercial real estate prices, widened corporate bond spreads, and heightened market volatility.

Under the stress test, the aggregate of the 23 large banks’ common equity tier-1 (CET1) ratio drops to a minimum of 10.1 before bouncing to 10.7 in Q1 2025, the end of the 2-year stress test period. On the individual bank level, the 5-quintile or the bottom five banks ranked by the minimum CET1 are Citizens (6.4), US Bankcorp (6.6), Truist (6.7), M&T (7.0), PNC (7.9). All of them, despite being relatively weaker than the others, have a minimum CET1 ratio comfortably above the required 4.5 under Basel III.

Industrial profits in China show improvement with a smaller decline in May

Industrial profits in China declined by 12.6% Y/Y in May, a smaller contraction than the -18.2% in April. The decline was largely driven by a smaller decline in profits in the manufacturing sector. In particular, profits in the equipment manufacturing industry increased by 15.2% Y/Y.

Nio partners with CNOOC Refining to build EV charging and battery-swapping infrastructure

Nio signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with China National Offshore Oil Refining Co (CNOOC Refining) to jointly build electric vehicle charging and battery-swapping infrastructures across China. So far the two companies have jointly built three EV charging and battery-swapping operations. The announcement from the two companies des not give details of how many such infrastructures are to be built under the agreement.

Nike earnings report: modest revenue increase expected, focus on FY24 guidance

Nike (NKE:xnys) is set to release its earnings report today after the US market closes. Analysts' consensus estimate projects a modest 2.8% Y/Y increase in revenue, reaching USD 12.57 billion compared to USD 12.23 billion. This reflects slower growth in North American markets, specifically in the North American wholesale channel. Expectations for the EBITDA margin are at 11.8%, down from 13.5% a year ago. This decline is attributed to promotions aimed at clearing excess inventory, higher supply chain costs, and rising wages, which are offsetting lower freight expenses. Adjusted EPS is anticipated to plunge to USD 0.67 from USD 0.90.

Investors will closely monitor Nike's FY24 guidance, the share of direct channel revenue, and signs of improvement in China (where peers have recently shown more positive outlooks). According to Saxo's Peter Garnry, the reaction from investors will be defined by Nike's FY24 guidance on operating and gross margin. Further insights on this topic can be found in Garnry's article.

For a detailed look at what to watch in markets this week – read our Saxo Spotlight.

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