Asian Stocks Wobble as Global Tech Selloff Sparks Volatility and Currency Risks
Market Reactions and Economic Impacts
By Satoshi Sugiyama
Asian Stock Market Performance
TOKYO, June 24 (Reuters) - Asian stocks were wobbly on Wednesday, a day after a global selloff in technology and semiconductor shares, with analysts cautioning about the risk of renewed volatility.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.02%. South Korean shares, which plunged 10% on Tuesday in their sharpest one-day drop since March, jumped 2.2%, while Japan's Nikkei was swinging between gains and losses, last down 0.8%.
Analyst Insights on Volatility
"Price action in markets over the last seven trading days has been alarming, not just when it falls, but also when it rises," said Michael McCarthy, market analyst at Moomoo Securities Australia. "When markets move so rapidly, in either direction, it's a sign of instability."
Global Market Sentiment
Risk-off sentiment swept Wall Street overnight, tracking moves in Europe and Asia. U.S. stocks fell on concerns about rising debt-funded AI spending and speculation that the Federal Reserve could adopt a more hawkish stance, while Treasury yields declined as investors sought the safety of government debt.
U.S. Market Movements
The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.09%, the S&P 500 fell 1.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite fell 2.2%. The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes fell 1.41 basis points to 4.493%.
Commodities and Oil Prices
Oil prices extended this week's losses, trading near four-month lows hit in the previous session, on signs that more oil tankers stranded in the Gulf since the start of the Iran war are set to move out of the Strait of Hormuz.
Geopolitical Uncertainty
Still, uncertainty remains over the durability of the accord. The U.S. and Iran have provided conflicting accounts on what the two countries had agreed on as part of their peace deal, including key elements such as nuclear inspections and control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Currency and Central Bank Developments
Yen Weakness and Intervention Risks
The dollar’s strength has weighed heavily on the Japanese yen, which hovered near 40-year lows at 161.57 per dollar, keeping markets on edge over a potential currency intervention to prop up the battered currency.
Bank of Japan Policy Outlook
A summary of opinions from the Bank of Japan's meeting this month, in which the central bank decided to raise interest rates to a 31-year high of 1.00%, released on Wednesday showed some board members called for further interest rate hikes to push the central bank's policy rate closer to levels deemed neutral to the economy.
Other Major Currencies
The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies including the yen and the euro, rose 0.02% to 101.43, holding near its one-year high. The euro was down 0.06% at $1.1375. In Britain, the pound GBP= weakened 0.08% to $1.3192.
Precious Metals and Cryptocurrencies
Gold Prices
Spot gold extended losses, down 0.48% to $4,088.71 an ounce as higher rate expectations reduced the appeal of non-yielding assets.
Cryptocurrency Movements
In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin gained 0.84% to $62,914.94. Ethereum rose 0.43% to $1,669.35.
(Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
