US new home sales

Global macro and markets

Global markets: US Treasuries ended the week with yields rising again. The yield on the 2Y Treasury rose 4.9bp, while the 10Y yield went up 6.2bp to 4.466%, taking it close to the 4.50% line again. The USD was softer again on Friday. EURUSD rose to 1.0943. The AUD has tested the 0.6590 level before settling down to around 0.6584. Sterling has broached 1.26 for the first time since September. But the JPY is still hovering below 1.50 and hasn’t gained as much as its other G-10 peers. Other Asian FX was mostly softer on Friday and will likely catch up with the G-10 moves this morning. The weaker currencies, KRW, THB, and TWD will probably outperform the others. The CNY is little changed at 7.1490. US equities did very little on a low trading volume day as many market participants dragged the Thanksgiving holiday over to the weekend. US equity f

Asia Morning Bites The data calendar in Asia today is focused on inflation in Singapore while Taiwan reports industrial production figures. FOMC, ECB and BoJ meetings later this week will add some excitement. Global Macro and Markets Global markets: US equity markets moved sideways for much of Friday, finishing almost unchanged from the previous day. Equity futures are pointing to a similarly inconclusive start today, which is perhaps not surprising during the FOMC week. Chinese stocks were also somewhat directionless, with the CSI 300 also failing to make any ground, though the Hang Seng index did gain 0.78%. There wasn’t much going on in US Treasury markets either. The yield on the 2Y US Treasury was virtually unchanged at 4.837%, while the 10Y yield dropped by only 1.5bp to 3.835%. There was a bit more action in FX space, where EURUSD dropped sharply to 1.1130, erasing some of the gains of the previous week. Other G-10 currencies also lost ground, though Cable was pretty steady maybe helped by better inflation data at the end of last week. Asian FX struggled against the USD on Friday. The worst-performing currencies were the THB and KRW. The INR has been extremely stable at just under USDINR 82.0, which given the weakness across other FX pairs, suggests that it is being actively managed at around this level. G-7 macro: Friday was a quiet day for G-7 Macro data, but today, we will be inundated with plenty of PMI numbers from across the G-7 for both the service and manufacturing sectors. Taiwan: June industrial production probably turned more negative again after a slight bounce in May. The year-on-year growth rate is forecast to drop back to -16.49% by the consensus, though we think the drop may be even more pronounced, and expect a fall of about 18% YoY. This is mainly a statistical correction, as it does appear that production is bottoming out at around current levels. Singapore: June inflation is set for release today. Both headline and core inflation are expected to dip with favourable base effects helping force both numbers lower. Headline inflation is expected to slip to 4.4%YoY (from 5.1%) while core inflation could dip to 2.4% (from 2.8%). Moderating inflation could give the MAS some breathing room and we expect slowing inflation and slightly better-than-expected 2Q GDP to be factored into the MAS decision later in 4Q. What to look out for: Key moves from major central banks New Zealand trade balance (24 July) Japan Jibun PMI and department store sales (24 July) Singapore CPI inflation (24 July) Malaysia CPI inflation (24 July) Taiwan industrial production (24 July) Thailand trade balance (24 July) South Korea 2Q GDP (25 July) Bank Indonesia policy meeting (25 July) Hong Kong trade (25 July) US Conference board consumer confidence (25 July)Australia CPI (26 July) Singapore industrial production (26 July) US new home sales (26 July) US FOMC decision (27 July) China industrial profits (27 July) ECB policy decision (27 July) US personal consumption, durable goods orders initial jobless claims (27 July) South Korea industrial production (28 July) Japan Tokyo CPI and BoJ policy (28 July) Australia PPI (28 July) US personal spending, core PCE, University of Michigan sentiment (28 July)

Asia Morning Bites Politburo pledges support for China's economy - we await detailed plans. Global Macro and Markets Global markets: US equity markets made small gains yesterday, though the price action was far from conclusive. The S&P settled 0.4% higher than the previous day while the NASDAQ rose just 0.19%. Chinese stocks fell. The Hang Seng was down 2.13% and the CSI 300 fell 0.44%. That might change today after a Chinese Politburo meeting yesterday vowed to provide more aid for the property sector as well as boost consumption and tackle local government debt issues. Equity futures are positive, but we will reserve judgement until we hear some details. We have had plenty of vague promises already, which don’t amount to a great deal so far. US Treasury yields seem to have decided that this week’s FOMC meeting will be hawkish, and 2Y yields jumped up 8.2bp to 4.919% yesterday. The yield on 10Y bonds rose just 3.8bp to 3.872%. EURUSD fell again yesterday, dropping to 1.1063. The AUD was flat at 0.6734, Cable dipped to 1.2816, and the JPY remained stable at 141.59. Asian FX didn’t move much yesterday. The TWD fell 0.39% after industrial production fell slightly more than expected. At the other end of the spectrum, the KRW made gains of 0.28%. The CNY was unchanged. G-7 macro: PMI data yesterday was weaker across much of the Eurozone, and the aggregate composite PMI dropped a full point to 48.9, with very weak manufacturing (42.7 from 43.4) and a slowdown in service sector growth (51.5 from 53.7). The equivalent US series showed a smaller manufacturing contraction (49.0) but also showed service sector growth slowing (52.4 from 54.4). Today, Germany’s Ifo survey will add more detail on the German situation. The US releases house price data (S&P CoreLogic numbers as well as FHFA data). And the US Conference Board releases its July confidence data. South Korea: Korea’s real GDP rose 0.6% QoQ sa in 2Q23 (vs 0.3% in 1Q23, 0.5% market consensus). 2QGDP was up from the previous quarter and slightly higher than the market consensus, but the details were quite disappointing. Net exports contributed to the growth (+1.3pt) but it was mainly because the contraction of imports (-4.2%) was deeper than that of exports (-1.8%). Looking ahead, we think that GDP in 2H23 will slow down again, as forward-looking data for domestic demand indicates a further deterioration. Please see our 2H23 outlook details here. We think today’s data should be a concern for the Bank of Korea as exports remain sluggish amid expectations of a further worsening of domestic growth. Also, this year’s fiscal support is likely to remain weak, considering the tax revenue deficit and normalization of covid related fiscal spending. Thus, the BoK’s policy focus will gradually shift from inflation to growth over the next few months as we expect inflation to stay in the 2% range most of the time in 2H23. Indonesia: Bank Indonesia meets today to decide on policy. BI is widely expected to keep rates untouched at 5.75% to help shore up the IDR and ensure FX stability. Previous dovish comments from BI Governor Warjiyo suggesting rate cuts could be considered have been set aside for now and we could see an extended pause from BI with any rate cut only considered later on. What to look out for: Central bank decisions Bank Indonesia policy meeting (25 July) Hong Kong trade (25 July) US Conference board consumer confidence (25 July) Australia CPI (26 July) Singapore industrial production (26 July) US new home sales (26 July) US FOMC decision (27 July) China industrial profits (27 July) ECB policy decision (27 July) US personal consumption, durable goods orders initial jobless claims (27 July) South Korea industrial production (28 July) Japan Tokyo CPI and BoJ policy (28 July) Australia PPI (28 July) US personal spending, core PCE, University of Michigan sentiment (28 July)

Korea: 2Q23 GDP improved but with disappointing details South Korea’s real GDP accelerated to 0.6% QoQ (sa) in 2Q23 from 0.3% in 1Q23, which was slightly higher than the market consensus of 0.5%. However, the details were quite disappointing with exports, consumption, and investment all shrinking. We expect growth to slow in 2H23. Net exports contributed positively to overall growth The upside surprise mainly came from a positive contribution from net exports (+1.3pt). However, we do not interpret this in a positive light, because it was not driven by an improvement in exports, but rather by a contraction of imports (-4.2%), which was deeper than that of exports (-1.8%). By major item, exports of vehicles and semiconductors rose as global supply conditions improved and global demand remained solid. But, exports of petroleum/chemicals and shipping services declined further with unfavourable price effects weighing. Falling commodity prices have had a positive impact on Korea's overall terms of trade, having a greater impact on imports, but "processed" exports such as petroleum/chemicals and shipping took more of a hit. Net exports led growth but due to sharper decline of imports than exports Meanwhile, domestic demand dragged down overall growth by -0.6pt As monthly activity and sentiment data already suggested, private consumption was down -0.1% with declining service consumption, while investment – both construction (-0.3%) and facilities (-0.2%) – contracted. Also, government expenditure dropped quite sharply (-1.9%) as spending on social security declined. We believe that the reopening boost effects on consumption have finally faded away, while tight credit conditions have also dampened investment. R&D investment (0.4%) was an exception, rising for the second consecutive quarter on the back of continued investment in new technologies. GDP in 2H23 will likely decelerate again Forward-looking data on domestic demand indicates a further deterioration in domestic growth. Construction orders, permits, and starts have been declining for several months, while capital goods imports and machinery orders have also trended down recently. With continued market noise surrounding project financing and growing uncertainty over global demand conditions, business sentiment for new investment is very weak. This year’s fiscal spending will also not support the economy meaningfully, considering the tax revenue deficit and normalization of covid related spending. However, we think trade will take the lead in a modest recovery. We believe that exports will rebound by the end of the third quarter with support from improved vehicle demand, semiconductors, and machinery (despite the global headwinds). Please see our 2H23 outlook details here. Korea's GDP is expected to slow down in 2H23 Although 2Q23 GDP was higher than expected, the details suggest a weaker-than-expected recovery in 2H23, together with weak forward-looking data, thus we keep our current annual GDP forecast for 2023 unchanged at 0.9% YoY. The Bank of Korea watch We think today’s data should be a concern for the Bank of Korea (BoK). The BoK forecast growth to accelerate in 2H23 on the back of better exports. We agree that export conditions will improve, but we don't think they will be strong enough to dominate weak domestic growth, and today’s data also suggests that growth will slow down in the near future. Thus, the BoK’s policy focus will probably gradually shift from inflation to growth in 4Q23. In 3Q23, we believe that the BoK will continue to keep its hawkish stance while keeping a close eye on other major central banks’ monetary policies. Also, inflation may fluctuate a bit over the Summer season due to soaring fresh food prices amid continued severe weather conditions. However, if inflation stays in the 2% range for most of 2H23, then the BoK’s tone should shift to neutral and eventually revert to an easing cycle.

Asia Morning Bites The tug of War between markets and the PBoC will remain a focus in Asia today. Macro data is dominated by PMI reports from major economies. Global Macro and Markets Global markets: Tuesday was a nothing-day for US stocks as we creep closer to the US Jackson Hole event. US stocks opened up but then slid for most of the session. Chinese stocks, in contrast, managed a rare day of gains. The Hang Seng index rose 0.95% while the CSI 300 rose 0.77%. US Treasury yields were mixed. The 2Y yield rose to 5.046%, a gain of 4.5bp, though the 10Y yield edged slightly lower by 1.4bp to 4.324%. EURUSD dropped to 1.0847, which looks like a lagged move to respond to Monday’s US yield increases. The AUD pushed slightly higher though, rising to 0.6452, while Cable looked stronger for most of Tuesday before sliding in late trading to return to the 1.2730 area. The JPY looked a bit more solid and strengthened slightly to 145.79. The tug-of-war between markets and the PBoC continued on Tuesday. There was another very strong fix below 7.20 combined with higher funding costs for offshore yuan, though these have now normalized, raising the question of what today's PBoC strategy will be. But the CNY remains just below 7.30 at 7.294, a slight rise from this time yesterday. The THB was the region’s best-performing currency yesterday as the political soup cleared a little with the appointment of a Prime Minister. The KRW also made decent gains. At the other end of the pack, the VND lost about 0.5% and the PHP was off 0.37%. G-7 macro: Yesterday’s macro calendar was devoid of any interest. But today, we have a plethora of PMI releases across the globe, as well as some new home sales data for the US. Australia: August PMI data shows the Australian economy slowing further. The service sector PMI, which fell below the breakeven 50-level in July, slid further in August, dropping to 46.7. There was also a slight decline in the manufacturing PMI too, which fell to 49.4 from 49.6, making it the sixth consecutive reading below 50. After the recent softness in labour data, we will have to consider whether to trim out the additional rate hike we still have pencilled in for later this year. We'll leave it for now, but it is looking less obvious. Singapore: Singapore reports July inflation today. The consensus points to a sustained deceleration in inflation with the headline number expected to dip to 4.2%YoY from 4.5%. Meanwhile, the core number is expected to slip to 3.8%YoY (from 4.0%). Despite the moderation, inflation remains elevated and we expect the Monetary Authority of Singapore to take this into consideration ahead of its policy meeting in 4Q23. What to look out for: Jackson hole conference South Korea business survey (23 August) Singapore CPI inflation (23 August) Japan machine tool orders (23 August) Taiwan industrial production (23 August) US new home sales MBA mortgage applications (23 August) South Korea PPI inflation and BoK policy meeting (24 August) Indonesia BI policy meeting (24 August) Hong Kong trade balance (24 August) US initial jobless claims and durable goods orders (24 August) Japan Tokyo CPI inflation (25 August) Malaysia CPI inflation (25 August) Singapore industrial production (25 August) US Univ of Michigan Sentiment (25 August) Jackson hole conference (25 August)

Asian stocks fell with US futures as yields on 10-year Treasuries reach a 16-year high above 4.54% while China Evergrande Group missed a debt payment adding to fears about the sectors massive debt pile. Broad dollar strength continues with the greenback trading at its highest level since December as another Fed member said another rate hike this year will be needed. Crude oil trades softer amid macroeconomic concerns and a stretched speculative long while gold holds support despite multiple headwinds. The Saxo Quick Take is a short, distilled opinion on financial markets with references to key news and events. Equities: S&P 500 futures are under pressure this morning with the US 10-year yield hitting 4.55% extending its relentless move higher. If the US 10-year yield moves to 4.75% we will most likely begin seeing widening cracks in equities as the prevailing narrative of falling inflation collapses. Yesterday’s session saw no meaningful rotation between defensive and cyclical sectors. Today’s key events are US consumer confidence figures and Costco earnings tonight after the market close. FX: Higher Treasury yields, particularly in the long end, pushed the dollar higher to extend its gains. USDCHF rose to near 4-month highs of 0.9136 with immediate target at 0.9162 which is 0.382 retracement level. EURUSD broke below 1.06 support despite better-than-expected German Ifo. USDJPY attempted a move towards 149 with verbal intervention remaining lacklustre. AUD slipped on China woes while NZD and CAD were relative gainers, and the outperformer was SEK with the Riksbank starting its FX hedging today. Commodities: Crude trades lower for a second day with macroeconomic concerns, a stronger dollar and a stretched speculative long and easing refinery margin weighing on prices. Gold prices continue to defy gravity, holding above $1900 support with demand for stagflation protection offsetting the current yield and dollar surge. LME copper is trading at the widest contango (oversupply) since at least 1994 as inventories expand and China demand concerns persist. Wheat continues to face downward pressure from huge Russian harvest despite weather related downgrades in Australia. Fixed Income. The Federal Reserve’s higher-for-longer message reverberates through higher long-term US Treasury yields. Unless there is a sign that the job market is weakening significantly or that the economy is slowing down quickly, long-term yields will continue to soar. With 10-year yields breaking above 4.5% and selling pressure continuing to mount through an increase in coupon supply, quantitative tightening, and waning foreign investors demand, it’s likely to see yields continue to rise until something breaks. This week, our attention turns to US PCE numbers and Europe CPI data while the US Treasury will sell 2-, 5- and 7-year notes. It will be interesting to see if investors buy the belly of the yield curve as a sign that they are preparing for a bull rather than a bear-steepening. Overall, we continue to favour short-term maturities and quality. Volatility: VIX Index still sits at around the 17 level, but the downward pressure in equity futures this morning could push the VIX much higher. This could be a cycle where the market tests the 20 level. Macro: Fed’s Goolsbee (voter) kept the door open for more rate hikes while emphasizing higher-for-longer. Moody’s warned of a protracted government shutdown saying that it could weigh on consumer confidence and markets. Meanwhile, after PMIs, Germany’s Ifo also showed a slight improvement in business outlook to 85.7 vs. 85.2 expected, while the previous was revised higher to 85.8. There were several ECB speakers once again. Lagarde largely repeated what was said at the ECB Press Conference, noting policy rates have reached levels that, maintained for a sufficiently long duration, will make a substantial contribution to the timely return of inflation to target. Schnabel said there is not yet an all-clear for the inflation problem. In the news: Interest rates will stay high 'as long as necessary,' the European Central Bank's leader says (Quartz), Teetering China Property Giants Undercut Xi’s Revival Push (Bloomberg), Russia dodges G7 price cap sanctions on most of its oil exports (FT), Global trade falls at fastest pace since pandemic (FT), Dimon Warns World Not Ready for 7% Fed Rate: Times of India via Bloomberg Technical analysis: S&P500 downtrend support at 4,328 & 4,200. Nasdaq 100 support at 14,687 &14,254. DAX downtrend support at 14,933. EURUSD below strong support, resuming downtrend to 1.05. GBPUSD downtrend strong support at 1.2175. Gold rangebound 1,900-1,950. Crude oil correction: WTI expect to 87.58. Brent to 80.62. US 10-year T-yields 4.55, uptrend but expect minor correction Macro events: US New Home Sales (Aug) exp 699k vs 714k prior (1400 GMT), US Consumer Confidence (Sep) exp 105.5 vs 106.1 prior. Speeches from Fed’s Bowman (voter) as well as ECB’s Lane, Simkus and Muller. Earnings events: Costco reports FY23 Q4 earnings (aft-mkt) today with estimated revenue growth of 8% y/y and EPS growth of 14% y/y. H&M reports FY23 Q3 earnings (bef-mkt) with estimated revenue growth of 7% y/y and EPS growth of 47% y/y. Micron Technology reports FY23 Q4 earnings (aft-mkt) with estimated revenue growth of -41% y/y and EPS of $-1.18 vs $1.37 a year ago. Accenture reports FY23 Q4 earnings (bef-mkt) with estimated revenue growth of 4% y/y and EPS unchanged from a year ago. Nike reports FY24 Q1 earnings (aft-mkt) with estimated revenue growth of 3% y/y and EPS growth of –20% y/y.

Asia Morning Bites

Global macro and markets

Asia Morning Bites: Inflation Data in Focus, FOMC, ECB, and BoJ Meetings Ahead

Asian Markets Await Detailed Plans After Politburo Pledges Support for China's Economy

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Gold Price Rebounds and Aims for New Highs Amid Dollar Index Decline

Asia Morning Bites: Singapore Industrial Production and Global Market Updates

Global Markets Shaken as Yields Soar: Dollar Surges, Stocks Slump, and Gold Holds Ground Amid Debt Concerns and Rate Hike Expectations

Asia Morning Bites: Focus on China's October Industrial Profits Amid Global Market Dynamics

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