SINGAPORE, May 17 ― Asian shares held steady today, while the euro struggled near five-month lows set a day earlier following a report that Italian populist parties trying to form a coalition could ask the European Central Bank to forgive €250 billion (RM1.17 trillion) of debt.
In equity markets, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was little changed, while Japan's Nikkei gained 0.4 per cent and South Korea's KOSPI rose 0.4 per cent.
Worries about political risks had jolted Italian markets and pressured the euro following reports that Italy's anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and anti-immigrant League may ask the European Central Bank to forgive €250 billion of debt as the parties worked to draft a coalition program.
The two populist parties have held six days of talks aimed at putting together a coalition government and ending 10 weeks of stalemate following an inconclusive election on March 4.
The common currency edged up 0.l per cent to US$1.1814 in early Asian trade, after having set a five-month low of US$1.1763 yesterday.
Italian stocks tumbled 2.3 per cent while Italy's10-year bond yield jumped nearly 19 basis points to 2.13 per cent.
Wall Street's main stock indexes rose yesterday, with the S&P 500 gaining 0.4 per cent, while the Russell 2000 small-cap benchmark set a record high.
US equities advanced yesterday even as a rise in US 10-year Treasury yields to their highest levels in nearly seven years suggested more competition for equities.
Yields on 10-year US Treasuries hit 3.10 per cent yesterday for the first time since July 2011, continuing to weigh on stocks as investors consider whether US government bonds pose a more attractive option to riskier equities.
Yesterday's yield increase followed Tuesday's bond market selloff spurred by data showing a solid rise in retail sales that suggested the US economy is on a stronger footing in the second quarter.
The US 10-year Treasury yield rose to as high as 3.104 per cent in early Asian trade today, matching the near seven-year high set yesterday.
The rises in US bond yields have helped buoy the dollar, which has gained 1.6 per cent against a basket of six major currencies so far in May.
“If the market continues to trade off US yields and diverging economic data between the US and EU, it's hard to argue against the current direction in yields or the dollar,” Stephen Innes, head of trading in Asia-Pacific for Oanda in Singapore, said in a note.
“On the US economic data front, the consumer remains the economy's backbone, and if this robust trend in the retail space continues to build, factor in a bit of wage growth pressure and the US dollar will continue to move higher on the back of higher yields,” Innes added.
The dollar index last stood at 93.282. Yesterday it had touched a five-month high of 93.632.
Oil prices gained yesterday, shaking off the effects of a strengthening dollar, after an inventory report showed US crude and gasoline stocks fell more than expected.
Brent crude futures gained 85 cents to settle at US$79.28 a barrel yesterday. ― Reuters
