Opening Bell: U.S. Treasurys, Futures Sell Off On Trade Risk; USD Pops

 | Oct 09, 2018 06:30

  • Global stocks take a hit from heated US-China dispute over currency devaluation, persistent EU headaches

  • IMF cuts global growth outlook for the first time since early 2016

  • WTI bulls eye $77 peak

  • h2 Key Events/h2

    Global stocks were mixed on Tuesday, with European shares crawling higher at the open, then slipping into red territory. Futures on the S&P 500, Dow Jones and NASDAQ 100 hovered more markedly in the red, weighed down by re-ignited worries of an escalation of the US-China trade war. Meanwhile, US Treasurys resumed their selloff, pushing the yield on 10-year bonds to fresh 7-year highs, pressuring risk assets yet further.

    Miners and oil shares helped the STOXX 600 start Tuesday's session 0.11 percent higher, while a rebound in Italian stocks after yesterday’s sharp fall lifted the FTSE MIB 0.3 percent higher at the open. However, the index not only eased from an early 0.83 percent high, but quickly joined the broader pan-European benchmark in a relatively steep descent.

    Earlier, during the Asian session, the Shanghai Composite consolidated with a 0.17 percent gain after yesterday’s 2.78 percent plunge—the worst in more than three months—when traders chose to focus on deepening diplomatic tensions with the US rather than on increasingly attractive stock valuations. The yuan rebounded 0.11 percent after yesterday’s 0.9 percent slide. However, the currency failed to cling to an earlier 0.3 percent gain.

    Senior US officials reportedly voiced concerns over China's recent currency devaluation—as much as 9 percent against the dollar—warning they are watching closely for further developments after the People's Bank of China set the weakest daily yuan fixing rate in 17 months on Tuesday.