GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian shares edgy amid inflation fears, but China

On Oct 13, 2021

* Investors waiting U.S. CPI figures, Fed minutes

* Oil prices edge lower, but still near multi-year highs

* European and U.S. stock futures largely flat

* Korean stocks gain, most other markets more muted

By Alun John

HONG KONG, Oct 13 (Reuters) – Asian shares were on edge on Wednesday as worries about soaring power prices fuelling inflation weighed on sentiment and drove expectations the United States would taper its emergency bond buying programme, keeping the dollar near a one-year high.

Investors are also cautious about placing strong bets ahead of U.S. consumer price inflation data and minutes of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s September policy meeting, both due later in the day, as well as the start of company earnings season.

However, positive trade figures from China, which showed export growth unexpectedly accelerated in September, provided some relief to those worried about a slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy.

The trade data “will act as a cushion in the rest of the year amidst growing headwinds stemming from a slowing property sector, power shortages, and the risk of COVID-19 cases weighing on consumption,” Erin Xin, an analyst at HSBC, said in a note.

The data helped Chinese blue chips advance 0.31%, despite continued weakness in real estate stocks, while South Korea’s KOSPI rose 1.13% after September employment figures rose by the most since 2014.

Gains elsewhere were more muted, with MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rising 0.23%, steadying after falling over 1% a day earlier, its worst daily performance in three weeks.

Japan’s Nikkei shed 0.2%, as high energy prices and a weak yen mean trouble for a country that Japan buys the bulk of its oil from overseas.

Futures indicated that the uncertainty will extend into European trading. The pan-region Euro Stoxx 50 futures rose 0.11% FTSE futures were down 0.04%, and S&P 500 futures, lost 0.08%.

“This week, inflation is overriding pretty much everything else, because that pushes Fed expectations one way or the other and that’s just so dominant,” said Stefan Hofer, chief investment strategist for LGT in Asia Pacific.

“This earnings season is also critical because in the previous one, earnings especially in the U.S., were very strong, partly because of the base effect. The third quarter may be a little more standard,” he added.

The U.S. Federal Reserve is inching closer to starting to taper its pandemic relief massive bond purchase programme, a decision that is complicated by growing fears around the world that rising energy costs will stoke inflation while also curtailing the economic recovery.

Oil prices are currently near multi-year highs, but steadied in Asian trading.

Brent crude fell 0.08% to $83.35 a barrel, off Monday’s three-year high of $84.6, while U.S. crude shed 0.09% to $80.57 off Monday’s seven-year high of $82.18.

Also pushing expectations of taping, three U.S. Federal Reserve policymakers on Tuesday said the U.S. economy has healed enough…