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Investing.com – Asia Pacific stocks were mostly down on Tuesday morning, with investors’ focus remaining on inflation’s impact on the economic recovery from COVID-19. Warnings have also been sounded about elevated asset prices.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 inched down 0.01% by 9:56 PM ET (2:56 AM GMT) and South Korea’s KOSPI was down 0.22%.
In Australia, the ASX 200 edged up 0.11% while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index edged down 0.11%.
China’s Shanghai Composite inched down 0.09% while the Shenzhen Component inched up 0.04%. Chinese education stocks were up after a report that authorities could issue licenses to allow companies to offer after-school tutoring.
The Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee also continues its meeting, which will run to Nov. 11. The meeting is expected to give President Xi Jinping an unprecedented third term.
U.S. Treasury yields held a climb after a disappointing three-year bill auction. However, the yield on 30-year Treasury inflation-protected securities fell to a record low.
Global shares remain near record levels as risk sentiment improves thanks to COVID-19 treatments, easing travel curbs, and the passage of a $550 billion U.S. infrastructure bill.
Key central banks have also hinted that they could gradually begin asset tapering. However, a big risk is that inflationary pressures, caused by bottlenecked supply chains and high energy prices, lasts longer than expected.
“Central banks were less hawkish than the markets were expecting them to be last week so we are seeing real yields going further down into negative territory,” BNY Mellon (NYSE:BK) Investment Management senior market strategist Lale Akoner told Bloomberg.
The reflation trade is coming back again and the market is pricing in “a mid-cycle environment,” she added.
However, global shares’ recent rally is in question, with the U.S. Federal Reserve saying that “asset prices remain vulnerable to significant declines should investor risk sentiment deteriorate, progress on containing the virus disappoint, or the economic recovery stall,” in its twice-yearly Financial Stability Report. Fed Bank of San Francisco President Mary Daly is also due to speak later in the day.
U.S. data, including the consumer price index (CPI) and producer price index (PPI), will be released on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s holiday.
In Asia Pacific, China’s property sector stepped back into the spotlight. Two holders of dollar notes sold by Scenery Journey Ltd., a unit of China Evergrande Group (HK:3333), have reportedly not received payment for coupons that were officially due Nov. 6.
