Asian Stock Markets Slide Amid US-China Concerns; Focus Shifts to US CPI

Asian stock markets are trending downwards on Thursday, reflecting a sense of caution due to apprehensions about potential deflation in China and renewed tensions in the US-China trade relationship. Traders are opting to stay on the sidelines as they await the eagerly anticipated US inflation data.

As of the latest update, China’s Shanghai index has declined by 0.26%, the Shenzhen Component Index is down 0.54%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng has dropped 0.95%, India’s NIFTY 50 is lower by 0.25%, South Korea’s Kospi has dipped 0.40%, while Japan’s Nikkei has managed a 0.66% increase.

Fears of potential deflation in China are exacerbating the impact of trade war tensions, putting pressure on Chinese equities. Earlier in the day, US President Joe Biden issued an executive order targeting specific Chinese companies heavily invested in quantum computation and artificial intelligence (AI), with over 50% of their revenue coming from these sectors.

In response, China’s Commerce Ministry expressed serious concerns and urged the US to respect market principles and fair competition norms, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, in India, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has opted to maintain the status quo by keeping the key interest rate unchanged at 6.50% for the third consecutive time. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das stated that the central bank expects inflation to decline to 5.2% in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025.

Over in Japan, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) revealed that the Producer Price Index (PPI) for July has decreased to 3.6% from the previous 4.1%, slightly above the expected 3.5%. On a monthly basis, the figure has risen to 0.1% MoM from the previous month’s -0.2%, but fell short of expectations at -0.2%. This data suggests a growing trend of inflationary pressures in Japan.

All attention is now focused on the imminent release of US inflation data during the American trading session. The US Consumer Price Index (CPI) is predicted to climb from 3% to 3.3%, while the core CPI is expected to remain steady at 4.8%. These economic indicators have the potential to impact assets like gold, crude oil, equities, and currency pairs such as AUD/USD