Gold and Bitcoin remained bid during Asia time. Gold traded to highs above US$2690 briefly while BTC/USD traded above US$99K.

The data focus for the session was on Japanese inflation for October. All three of the main measures are sitting above the Bank of Japan 2% target, further fuelling expectations of a Bank of Japan rate hike at its December 18-19 meeting.

Japan cpi October 2024 wrap 22 November 2024 2

Just prior to posting the latest Reuters survey of economists showed 56% expect a hike, so its not an overwhelming majority by any means.

USD/JPY dropped lower after the data, to briefly under 154.00 (just barely). The drop was helped along by Prime Minister Ishiba saying the latest economic package would be around 39 trillion yen, about 253bn USD equivalent.

A little after USD/JPY had hits lows we got a reminder that the economy remains shaky, with the November preliminary PMIs mixed:

  • Manufacturing 49.0 (October was 49.4)
  • Services a little more encouraging at 50.2 (vs. October 49.7)
  • Composite 49.8 (October 49.6)

NZD/USD fell to 0.5830. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand meet next week with a 50bp rate cut fully priced in to the market. After the meeting next week, November 27, the Bank does not meet again until February 19. This is fuelling a 30% pricing of a 75bp rate cut next week. AUD/NZD hit its highest today since October 2022, with a still-hawkish Reserve Bank of Australia expected to be on hold until February (ANZ and CBA tipping a cut then) or even May (NAB and Westpac tip a May cut).

The People’s Bank of China propped up the onshore yuan again today, setting the USD/CNY reference rate circa 550 points lower than the model estimate. The Bank also said it’d

  • prevent the formation of one-sided expectations on the yuan,
  • keep the yuan basically stable at a reasonable and balanced level.

Q3 Singapore GDP growth came in smashing estimates at 5.4% y/y vs. 4.6% expected.