EMERGING MARKETS-Indian stocks hit record, Philippines falters after contrasting growth views

  • 12/4/2020
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* Graphic: World FX rates tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh * Graphic: Foreign flows into Asian stocks tmsnrt.rs/3lKhL5I * Taiwan dollar, S.Korean won jump 1% * Thai shares at highest since June 8 By Shashwat Awasthi Dec 4 (Reuters) - Indian shares hit a record high on Friday after the country"s central bank upgraded its economic growth forecast and said it would retain an accommodative policy stance at least for the current financial year. In contrast, stocks in the Philippines snapped a three-day winning streak, hit by a forecast of a deeper economic contraction this year and news that U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc had halved its COVID-19 vaccine production target for 2020. Trading across other emerging Asian stock markets remained mixed as sentiment around vaccines was partly offset by hopes that a U.S. stimulus plan would be pushed through Congress. Indian stocks, which initially rose 0.6%, inched up further after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) projected positive growth in the second half of 2021, while leaving interest rates unchanged. "Indian equity markets have reacted positively to both an upgrade of growth projection and availability of surplus liquidity conditions," said Sameer Narang, chief economist at Bank of Baroda. Narang added foreign portfolio investment inflows were also helping gains, and Friday"s growth view upgrade implied the inflows may continue to drive Indian equity markets. The rupee firmed 0.2% after two days of losses. Shares in Manila dropped 0.8% and the peso eased after officials on Thursday forecast a 8.5%-9.5% contraction in the economy, compared with a previous forecast of a 5.5% decline. Raul Ruiz, head of research at RCBC Securities, said vaccine news was heavily affecting sentiment, and that a 15% rally in stocks since October was giving way to profit-taking. "News that the distribution of Pfizer"s vaccine would be constrained by supply chain issues probably has more bearing on the market," Ruiz added. "Considering that uncertainties with regard to COVID-19 have yet to completely go away, there is a reluctance to letting profits run." Taiwan"s dollar and South Korea"s won outperformed regional peers that failed to make significant headway despite the U.S. dollar"s woes, while shares in both countries soared more than 1%. Thai stocks, which gained in the previous session on the promise of additional stimulus, climbed another 1% to a near six-month high. Thailand"s central bank said on Thursday it had adjusted rules on financial instruments qualified as banking capital to ease lending to businesses and households, while data on Friday showed deflation eased last month. HIGHLIGHTS: ** Indonesian 3-year benchmark yields are down 3.6 basis points at 4.796% ** In the Philippines, top index losers are SM Prime down 3.59%, Universal Robina down 3.51% and JG Summit down 3.17% ** Top gainers on Thailand"s SETI include Union Plastic up 12.21%, Raimon Land up 10% and Triple I Logistics up​ 9.65% Asia stock indexes and currencies at 0634 GMT COUNTRY FX RIC FX FX YTD INDE STOCK STOC DAILY % X S KS % DAILY YTD % % Japan -0.03 +4.57 <.N2 -0.22 13.0 25> 8 China EC> 2 India +0.18 -3.19 <.NS 0.65 8.64 EI> Indones +0.07 -1.49 <.JK -0.34 -7.8 ia SE> 8 Malaysi +0.34 +0.74 <.KL -0.38 2.10 a SE> Philipp -0.09 +5.47 <.PS -0.83 -8.7 ines I> 1 S.Korea 11> 9 Singapo +0.20 +0.99 <.ST 0.61 -11. re I> 90 Taiwan +1.48 +6.57 <.TW 1.11 17.8 II> 0 Thailan +0.10 -0.80 <.SE 1.03 -8.0 d TI> 2 (Reporting by Shashwat Awasthi in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak

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