OP Wire 8/6 (OP – Lite)

Asian Markets Rebound Amid Bargain Buying; Japanese Stocks Lead the Charge

Most Asian stocks rose sharply on Tuesday after experiencing significant losses in the prior session, with Japanese markets showing the most substantial recovery following a tumble into bear market territory.

Bargain Buying Boosts Regional Markets

The rise in Asian stocks was driven by bargain buying, as traders snapped up heavily discounted stocks with strong fundamentals. This move is likely to benefit from anticipated lower interest rates in the coming months. Despite this rebound, Asian markets were still nursing steep losses from the previous session, which were triggered by growing fears of a U.S. recession following disappointing labor market data.

Wall Street Tumbles but Shows Signs of Rebound

Overnight, Wall Street saw a sharp decline, with the NASDAQ Composite entering correction territory from recent peaks. However, U.S. markets appeared poised for a rebound, as Wall Street futures rose during Asian trading hours.

Japanese Stocks Lead the Recovery

Japanese stocks were the standout performers on Tuesday, recovering sharply after recent heavy losses. The Nikkei 225 index surged over 10%, and the TOPIX climbed 8.8%. Despite this rebound, both indexes remained in bear market territory, having fallen between 12% and 14% in the previous session. The recovery in Japanese markets came despite mixed economic data for June, which showed rising wages but contracting household spending.

A drop in the yen, which had surged to its strongest level in seven months, also supported Japanese stocks. Sentiment towards Japanese markets was further influenced by hawkish signals from the Bank of Japan, which recently raised interest rates and hinted at more increases this year.

Australian Stocks Lag Behind

Australian stocks rose modestly compared to their Asian counterparts, with the ASX 200 index adding 0.3% after sharp declines in recent sessions. Market sentiment in Australia remained cautious ahead of a Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) meeting later in the day, where the central bank was widely expected to keep rates unchanged. However, markets were wary of potential hawkish signals from the RBA, given persistent inflationary pressures. The bank is anticipated to signal that interest rates will remain high for an extended period.

Broader Asian Markets and Chinese Market Performance

Most broader Asian markets saw a rebound after steep declines in the previous session. South Korea’s KOSPI surged 3%, while futures for India’s Nifty 50 index indicated a strong opening after a 2.7% loss in the prior session.

Conversely, Chinese markets lagged behind, with the Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite both falling slightly to near six-month lows. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index hovered just above a three-month low. Sentiment towards China remained cautious following a series of underwhelming economic signals and ongoing concerns about more stimulus measures.

Looking Ahead

This week, the focus is on key trade and inflation data for further insights into the economy, along with monitoring the fluid situation in the Middle East.

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