Bassanese Bites: Fed rattles sabres
March 5, 2017--The Week in Review
Mixed news for markets last week, with US President Trump delivering a well-received speech to Congress which suggested he might finally be settling into a more measured "Presidential" style.
As a partial counter to this optimism, however, the speech made only a passing reference to fiscal stimulus, which in turn suggested pump-priming the US economy sometime soon does not appear high on his agenda-at least compared to repealing/reforming Obamacare.
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Source: betashares.com.au
UPDATE:China 2017 GDP Target 'Around 6.5%, Higher If Possible'
March 3, 2017--Adds, Clarifies Details Throughout
Budget Deficit Target Set At 3% or CNY 2.38 Trillion
CPI Target Unchanged At 'Around 3%'
The Chinese government has set a GDP growth target for 2017 of "around 6.5%, or higher if possible in practice," Chinese Premier Li Keqiang announced Sunday, a lower target than last year's range of 6.5% to 7%.
The wording of the target makes clear that 6.5% is the center of government expectations, with the phrasing of "around 6.5%" clearly allowing for the possibility of growth below that rate.
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Source: marketnews.com
Four China regulators acting as one shows shift in curbing risk
March 2, 2107--China's regulators are putting together a unified front seeking to beat back growing risks to the financial system from $8.7 trillion in asset management products, including investments in bonds and risky off-balance-sheet lending by banks.
They're working to draft sweeping new rules governing the surge in these products, Bloomberg News reported earlier this week and a regulator confirmed Wednesday.
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Source: Bloomberg
Bassanese Bites: Show me the money!
February 27, 2017--The Week in Review
As noted last week, only one of the three more obvious global macro "Trump trades" is working at present, as equities continue to grind higher while bond yields and the $US dollar mark time in an extended "pullback" period.
Indeed, US 10-year bond yields dropped to the lower edge of their 2.3-2.6% "consolidation" zone last week, despite hawkish Fed minutes suggesting a March rate hike was not out of the question.
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Source: betashares.com.au
China regulators set new rules for asset managers as debt fears grow
February 22, 2017--China's financial regulators have circulated a draft framework of new rules aimed at curbing risks in the country's booming asset management industry, according to several Chinese news outlets and details of the draft seen by Reuters.
The rules, formulated by the central bank in conjunction with China's securities, banking and insurance regulators, were the latest effort by the authorities to bolster their oversight of financial assets, including wealth management products (WMPs), amid concerns about growing debt in the economy.
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Source: World Bank
IMF-For India, Strong Growth Persists Despite New Challenges
February 22, 2017--India remains one of the fastest growing emerging market economies
Due to recent cash shortages, growth is projected to slow temporarily this fiscal year
Maintaining the reform momentum is key to stronger growth
India's overall outlook remains positive, although growth will slow temporarily as a result of disruptions to consumption and business activity from the recent withdrawal of high-denomination banknotes from circulation.
view the Infographic: 2017 India Article IV Report
Source: IMF
BetaShares-Could the S&P/ASX 200 reach and hold 6000 this year?
February 22, 2017--Since bottoming in February last year, and especially since the election of Donald Trump as US President, the Australian equity market has posted good gains, with the S&P/ASX 200 now within striking distance of the psychological 6000 level.
This post assesses both the technical and fundamental challenges facing the market. All up, the analysis suggests that it's quite possible for the market to reach and hold the 6000 level this year, but further gains beyond that might be constrained by the still-muted outlook for earnings growth in the non-mining sectors of the economy.
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Source: betashares.com.au
Bassanese Bites: Cautious optimism persists
February 20, 2017--Week beginning: 20 February 2017
One of the three global macro "Trump trades" persists across global markets, with equities rising yet the $US and bond yields still largely treading water.
Last week saw Wall Street move to new record highs, with the S&P 500 up 1.5% despite a shockingly erratic Donald Trump press conference and hints from the Fed's Janet Yellen that a March rate rise remains a possibility. Helping is the fact global economic data remains encouraging and everyone is waiting for Trump's "phenomenal" announcement on tax. On the negative side, there is some nervousness creeping into markets ahead of the French Presidential elections starting in April-given latest polling suggesting that the National Front's Marine Le Pen is now favourite to win the first of two voting rounds.
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Source: betashares.com.au
Chinese Banks' Off-Book Wealth Products Exceed $3.8 Trillion
February 19, 2017--Value of wealth-management product exposure rises 30%: PBOC
PBOC includes off-book WMPs in macro prudential assessment.
Chinese banks had more than 26 trillion yuan ($3.8 trillion) of wealth-management products held off their balance sheets at the end of December, a 30 percent increase from a year earlier, according to the central bank.
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Source: Bloomberg
China makes record cuts to US Treasuries holdings
February 15, 2017-Japan's portfolio decreased for a fifth consecutive month
Treasury data show Japan as top U.S. foreign creditor in 2016
China's holdings of U.S. Treasuries declined by the most on record last year, as the world's second-largest economy dipped into its foreign-exchange reserves to buttress the yuan. Japan, America's largest foreign creditor, trimmed its holdings for a second straight year.
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Source: Bloomberg
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