Asian stocks down after US inflation fuels rate hike fears

Jul 12, 2022, 10:42 PM | Updated: Jul 13, 2022, 9:18 pm

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets rose Thursday despite a record-setting U.S. inflation report that pointed to more possible interest rate hikes that investors worry will chill economic growth.

U.S. futures edged lower while oil prices advanced.

Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index lost 0.4% on Wednesday after data showed U.S. consumer inflation accelerated to 9.1% in June over a year earlier from May’s 8.6%. That was despite three rate hikes this year by the Federal Reserve.

Investors worry aggressive action by central banks to cool inflation that is at four-decade highs might derail global economic growth.

“Growth fears are hitting the markets harder than inflation concerns,” said Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management in a report.

The Shanghai Composite Index picked up 0.3% to 3,294.50 while Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 gained 0.7% to 26,665.09.

Electronics manufacturer Panasonic Holdings ‘ shares rose 1.1% after the company announced plans for a multibillion-dollar mega-factory to produce electric vehicle batteries for Tesla and other carmakers in the U.S. state of Kansas.

The Hang Seng in Hong Kong advanced 0.3% to 20,855.29.

Sydney’s S&P-ASX 200 added 0.4% to 6,646.60 after official data showed employment rose more than expected in June.

The Kospi in Seoul edged 0.1% higher to 2,330.74. New Zealand and Jakarta advanced while Singapore declined.

Apart from the Federal Reserve, central banks in Britain, South Korea and some other countries also have hiked rates to cool surging prices. The European Central Bank says it has similar plans.

With inflation still untamed, traders expect another Fed rate hike this month, probably matching last month’s 0.75-percentage-point rise, the biggest in 28 years and three times the usual margin.

Fed officials say a recession is possible but not certain. They point to a strong U.S. job market despite higher borrowing costs.

On Wall Street, the S&P fell to 3,801.78. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.7% to 30,772.79, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 0.2% to 11,247.58.

Traders are looking ahead to the latest quarterly results from big U.S. companies in the next few weeks.

In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude gained 54 cents to $96.84 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 46 cents to $96.30 on Wednesday. Brent crude, the price basis for international oil trading, advanced 67 cents to $100.24 per barrel in London. It added 8 cents the previous session to $99.57 a barrel.

The dollar rose to 138.02 yen from Wednesday’s 137.32 yen. The euro declined to $1.0035 from $1.0062.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

(Facebook Photo/Superior Court of Arizona in Yavapai County)...
Associated Press

Arizona judge has cases reassigned following DUI arrest

The Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that all cases currently assigned to a Yavapai County Superior Court judge recently arrested on suspicion of extreme DUI will be reassigned to other judges.
4 days ago
Haitian migrant Gerson Solay, 28, carries his daughter, Bianca, as he and his family cross into Can...
Associated Press

US, Canada to end loophole that allows asylum-seekers to move between countries

President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday announced a plan to close a loophole to an immigration agreement.
7 days ago
Expert skateboarder Di'Orr Greenwood, an artist born and raised in the Navajo Nation in Arizona and...
Associated Press

Indigenous skateboard art featured on new stamps unveiled at Phoenix skate park

The Postal Service unveiled the “Art of the Skateboard" stamps at a Phoenix skate park, featuring designs from Indigenous artists.
7 days ago
(Facebook Photo/City of San Luis, Arizona)...
Associated Press

San Luis authorities receive complaints about 911 calls going across border

Authorities in San Luis say they are receiving more complaints about 911 calls mistakenly going across the border.
13 days ago
(Pexels Photo)...
Associated Press

Daylight saving time begins in most of US this weekend

No time change is observed in Hawaii, most of Arizona, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianas.
21 days ago
Mexican army soldiers prepare a search mission for four U.S. citizens kidnapped by gunmen in Matamo...
Associated Press

How the 4 abducted Americans in Mexico were located

The anonymous tip that led Mexican authorities to a remote shack where four abducted Americans were held described armed men and blindfolds.
21 days ago

Sponsored Articles

(Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona Photo)...
Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona

5 common causes for chronic neck pain

Neck pain can debilitate one’s daily routine, yet 80% of people experience it in their lives and 20%-50% deal with it annually.
...
Day & Night Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing

Prep the plumbing in your home just in time for the holidays

With the holidays approaching, it's important to know when your home is in need of heating and plumbing updates before more guests start to come around.
(Photo via MLB's Arizona Fall League / Twitter)...
Arizona Fall League

Top prospects to watch at this year’s Arizona Fall League

One of the most exciting elements of the MLB offseason is the Arizona Fall League, which began its 30th season Monday.
Asian stocks down after US inflation fuels rate hike fears