In This Article:
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Asian stock markets : https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
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Fed's Waller plays down CPI as just one number
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Beijing lays out property support, COVID steps
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Biden to meet Xi at G20 meeting
By Wayne Cole
SYDNEY, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Asian share markets were mixed on Monday as a top U.S. central banker warned investors against getting carried away over one inflation number, while Chinese stocks gained on signs of aid for the country's hard-hit property sector.
A modest miss on U.S. inflation was enough to see two-year Treasury yields dive 33 basis points for the week and the dollar lose almost 4% - the fourth biggest weekly decline since the era of free-floating exchange rates began over 50 years ago.
However, the resulting easing in U.S. financial conditions was not entirely welcomed by the Federal Reserve, with Governor Christopher Waller saying it would take a string of soft reports for the bank to take its foot off the brakes.
Waller added the markets were well ahead of themselves on just one inflation print, though he did concede the Fed could now start thinking about hiking at a slower pace.
Futures are wagering heavily on a half-point rate rise to 4.25-4.5% in December, and then a couple of quarter-point moves to a peak in the 4.75-5.0% range.
Two-year yields edged up to 4.42%, after diving as deep as 4.29% on Friday.
"The CPI downside surprise aligns with a broad range of indicators pointing to a downshift in global inflation that should encourage a moderation in the pace of monetary policy tightening at the Fed and elsewhere," said Bruce Kasman, head of economic research at JPMorgan.
"This positive message needs be tempered by the recognition that downshift in inflation will be too little for central banks to declare mission-accomplished, and more tightening is likely on the way."
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added 1.1%, after jumping 7.7% last week.
Japan's Nikkei eased 0.8%, while South Korea went flat. S&P 500 futures dipped 0.3% and Nasdaq futures lost 0.5%.
EUROSTOXX 50 futures gained 0.4%, while FTSE futures tacked on 0.1%.
EYES ON CHINA
Dealers were also waiting to see if Chinese stocks could extend their big rally amid reports regulators have asked financial institutions to extend more support to stressed property developers. China's real estate index jumped 5% in response. Blue chips rose 1.1%, helped by a slew of changes to China's COVID curbs, even as the country reported more cases over the weekend.
"It's hard to see how the case news is anything but negative from an economic standpoint, but it's the symbolism of the movement, however small, in the zero COVID strategy that markets are happily latching onto," said Ray Attrill, head of FX strategy at NAB.