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Asian shares experienced a slight uptick, largely driven by a rebound in previously battered Chinese markets.
However, investor sentiment remained cautious following a decline on Wall Street amid reduced expectations of an imminent Federal Reserve rate cut, consequently bolstering the dollar.
Chinese Market Reversal and Regulatory Measures
Chinese stocks initially opened lower on Tuesday but later reversed course, supported by recent signs of backing from state-backed investors. Additionally, authorities intervened to mitigate heavy losses in the market.
The blue-chip CSI300 Index surged by more than 1.5%, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.3% after hitting a five-year low on Monday. The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) announced tightened scrutiny on margin financing, malicious short selling, and measures to mitigate risks associated with pledged shares.
Matt Simpson, a senior market analyst at City Index, noted, "China's regulators made four statements yesterday in an attempt to prop up a market that doesn't want to be propped up, which itself is a sign of panic."
Market Movements and Central Bank Decisions
According to Channel News Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose by 1.7%, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index stumbled by 0.76% ahead of a rate decision by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).
In Japan, the Nikkei slid by 0.72%. Meanwhile, data indicated a pickup in the U.S. services sector growth in January, leading to doubts about the projected Federal Reserve rate cuts for the year.
Impact on Currency and Commodities
The dollar remained propped close to a more than two-month high against the euro and the yen. The single currency last bought $1.0746, while the yen stood at 148.54 per dollar.
According to Bloomberg, market pricing showed expectations of roughly 115 basis points of easing by the Fed this year, down from over 150 bps at the end of last year. Additionally, oil prices saw a slight decline, with U.S. crude down four cents to $72.74 a barrel, while gold rose by 0.15% to $2,027.80 an ounce.
Photo: Austin Distel/Unsplash
