* Malaysia lifts interstate, international travel curbs
* Singapore dollar hits two-week high
* Thai stocks scale over four-week high
By Sameer Manekar
Oct 11 (Reuters) - Malaysia"s ringgit scaled a near
one-month peak on Monday and equities advanced more than half a
percent after the government lifted interstate and international
travel restrictions, while most other Asian currencies edged
higher.
Singapore dollar firmed 0.2% to hit its highest in
two weeks, while equities touched a near two-month peak
after the government opened its borders to more countries for
quarantine-free travel.
Meanwhile, investors will be eyeing Singapore"s advanced
third-quarter economic growth data expected later in the week,
with analysts at OCBC Bank expecting a moderation from
second-quarter"s 14.7% year-on-year growth.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore is likely to keep its
monetary policy settings unchanged at this juncture, but may
signal a need for recalibration in 2022, the OCBC analysts said
in a note.
Meanwhile, a soft U.S. payrolls figure last week did little
to alter market expectations of tapering of bond purchases by
the U.S. Federal Reserve, pressuring risk-sensitive Asian
markets as the U.S. dollar firmed and Treasury yields jumped.
The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against
six major currencies, edged higher to 94.139, while the 10-year
benchmark yields hit multi-month highs on
expectations of the Fed"s tapering plans.
Investors now await U.S. September inflation data on
Wednesday, which, according to analysts at Mizuho bank, "will be
a key trigger for bond markets to adjust positions just ahead of
Federal Open Market Committee"s minutes."
In Malaysia, the ringgit added 0.2% to scale 4.167
per U.S. dollar, its highest since Sept. 17, while equities
advanced as much as 0.7% and were on course to gain for
a fifth consecutive session.
Malaysia lifted interstate and international travel
restrictions for residents fully vaccinated against COVID-19
starting Monday, as the country achieved its target of
inoculating 90% of its adult population.
The Thai baht firmed by about 0.3% while stocks
were up 0.4% to scale their highest in more than four
weeks. The Indonesian rupiah also edged higher.
Among the regional equity markets, Philippine stocks
surged 2.7% for their biggest intraday jump since mid-August,
rallying after two consecutive sessions of declines, while the
peso slipped 0.3%.
Markets in South Korea, and Taiwan
were closed for a holiday.
HIGHLIGHTS:
** Indonesian 10-year benchmark yields edges higher to
6.359%
** China orders miners in Inner Mongolia to ramp up coal
production - nL1N2R40KN
** India says it has ample coal stocks for power sector -
nL4N2R6076
** Global tax deal seeks to end havens, criticized for "no
teeth" - nL1N2R41MK
Asia stock indexes and
currencies at 0339 GMT
COUNTRY FX RIC FX FX INDE STOCK STOCK
DAILY YTD X S S YTD
% % DAILY %
%
Japan -0.42 -8.3 <.N2 1.57 3.81
9 25>
China
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