China's central bank, the People’s Bank of China, cut the one-year loan prime rate from 3.55% to 3.45%, while the five-year LPR, which serves as the basis for housing mortgage rates, remained unchanged at 4.20%. Reuters poll of 35 analysts showed all had expected cuts to both rates, after the Bank unexpectedly lowered the medium-term lending facility rate last week. Widespread expectations were for 15bp cuts to each, so the 10 and zero that were delivered were received with disappointment by the market.

The initial response was for lower ‘risk’, in the major FX space this meant a marking down for AUD and NZD, but EUR and GBP were down a little also. This all soon reversed though.

Chinese mainland and Hong Kong equities dropped also, but have bounced from their session lows.

Oil shrugged it off, Brent has risen nearly a dollar on the day.

Asian equity markets:

  • Japan’s Nikkei 225 +0.95%

  • China’s Shanghai Composite -0.15%

  • Hong Kong’s Hang Seng -0.66%

  • South Korea’s KOSPI +0.6%

  • Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 -0.07%

Brent oil:

brent oil higher wrap chart 21 August 2023