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from Breakingviews:
South Korea may need a rate cut to fight weak yen
By Andy Mukherjee
The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.
Japan’s weak yen policy could be South Korea’s biggest economic enemy this year. The strengthening won, which has risen 23 percent against the yen in the past six months, was partly to blame for the country’s anaemic GDP growth in the fourth quarter. It’s also putting the squeeze on manufacturers like Hyundai. Lower interest rates could help to ease the pressure.
An appreciating currency is a big dilemma for South Korea’s central bank. Investors are betting the Bank of Korea’s policy interest rate of 2.75 percent, which it last reduced in October, will remain unchanged as the incoming government of President Park Geun-hye boosts public spending in an attempt to revive growth.
But the wait-and-watch approach is risky because it could engender expectations that the central bank is not particularly worried about the country’s exports losing some of their price competitiveness.
from Global Investing:
Korean exporters’ yen nightmare (corrected)
(corrects name of hedge fund in para 3 to Symphony Financial Partners)
Any doubt about the importance of a weaker yen in thawing the frozen Japanese economy will have been dispelled by the Nikkei's surge to 32-month highs this week. Since early December, when it became clear an incoming Shinzo Abe administration would do its best to weaken the yen, the equity index has surged as the yen has fallen.
Those moves are giving sleepless nights to Japan's neighbours who are watching their own currencies appreciate versus the yen. South Korean companies, in particular, from auto to electronics manufacturers, must be especially worried. They had a fine time in recent years as the yen's strength since 2008 allowed them to gain market share overseas. But since mid-2012, the won has appreciated 22 percent versus the yen. In this period, MSCI Korea has lagged the performance of MSCI Japan by 20 percent. Check out the following graphic from my colleague Vincent Flasseur (@ReutersFlasseur)
from Global Investing:
A yen for emerging markets
Global Investing has written several times about Japanese mom-and-pop investors' adventures in emerging markets. Most recently, we discussed how the new government's plan to prod the Bank of Japan into unlimited monetary easing could turn more Japanese into intrepid yield hunters. Here's an update.
JP Morgan analysts calculate that EM-dedicated Japanese investment trusts, known as toshin, have seen inflows of $7 billion ever since the U.S. Fed announced its plan to embark on open-ended $40-billion-a-month money printing. That's taken their assets under management to $67 billion. And in the week ended Jan 2, Japanese flows to emerging markets amounted to $234 million, they reckon. This should pick up once the yen debasement really gets going -- many are expecting a 100 yen per dollar exchange rate by end-2013 (it's currently at 88).
from Global Investing:
The Watanabes are coming
With Shinzo Abe's new government intent on prodding the Bank of Japan into unlimited monetary easing, it is hardly surprising that the yen has slumped to two-year lows against the dollar. This could lead to even more flows into overseas markets from Japanese investors seeking higher-yield homes for their money.
Japanese mom-and-pop investors -- known collectively as Mrs Watanabe - have for years been canny players of currency and interest rate arbitrage. In recent years they have stepped away from old favourites, New Zealand and Australia, in favour of emerging markets such as Brazil, South Africa and Turkey. (See here to read Global Investing's take on Mrs Watanabe's foray into Turkey). Flows from Japan stalled somewhat in the wake of the 2010 earthquake but EM-dedicated Japanese investment trusts, known as toshin, remain a mighty force, with estimated assets of over $64 billion. Analysts at JP Morgan noted back in October that with the U.S. Fed's QE3 in full swing, more Japanese cash had started to flow out.
from Breakingviews:
South Korea’s next leader will face a currency war
The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.
By Andy Mukherjee
Every new South Korean president has to contend with sabre-rattling by Pyongyang. It won’t be any different this time. North Korea’s recent rocket launch shows just what kind of reception the next occupant of Seoul’s Blue House can expect from across the demilitarized zone.
from Global Investing:
Emerging Policy-Hawkish Poland to join the doves
All eyes on Poland's central bank this week to see if it will finally join the monetary easing trend underway in emerging markets. Chances are it will, with analysts polled by Reuters unanimous in predicting a 25 basis point rate cut when the central bank meets on Wednesday. Data has been weak of late and signs are Poland will struggle even to achieve 2 percent GDP growth in 2013.
How far Polish rates will fall during this cycle is another matter altogether. Markets are betting on 100 basis points over the next 6 months but central bank board members will probably be cautious. Inflation is one reason along with the the danger of excessive zloty weakness that could hit holders of foreign currency mortgages. One source close the bank tells Reuters that 75 or even 50 bps would be appropriate, while another said:
from Breakingviews:
Europe, China holding back Asian export recovery
By Wayne Arnold
The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.
Asia’s export engine could remain stuck in neutral as long as Europe and China are slowing. An uptick in September exports has buoyed hopes for a U.S.-led rebound in regional trade. But in the past decade, Asian economies have shifted focus to Europe and responded to China’s rise by supplying the manufacturing juggernaut. A U.S. upturn alone won’t be enough.
from Global Investing:
Emerging Policy-the big easing continues
The big easing continues. A major surprise today from the Bank of Thailand, which cut interest rates by 25 basis points to 2.75 percent. After repeated indications from Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul that policy would stay unchanged for now, few had expected the bank to deliver its first rate cut since January. But given the decision was not unanimous, it appears that Prasarn was overruled. As in South Korea last week, the need to boost domestic demand dictated the BoT's decision. The Thai central bank noted:
The majority of MPC members deemed that monetary policy easing was warranted to shore up domestic demand in the period ahead and ward off the potential negative impact from the global economy which remained weak and fragile.
from Global Investing:
Emerging Policy: Rate cuts proliferate
Emerging market central banks have clearly taken to heart the recent IMF warning that there is "an alarmingly high risk" of a deeper global growth slump.
Two central banks have cut interest rates in the past 24 hours: Brazil extended its year-long policy easing campaign with a quarter point cut to bring interest rates to a record low 7.25 percent and the Bank of Korea (BoK) also delivered a 25 basis point cut to 2.75 percent. All eyes now are on Singapore which is expected to ease monetary policy on Friday while Turkey could do so next week and a Polish rate cut is looking a foregone conclusion for November.
from Global Investing:
This week in EM, expect more doves
With the U.S. Fed having cranked up its printing presses, there seems little to stop emerging central banks from extending their own rate cut campaigns this week.
The most interesting meeting promises to be in the Czech Republic. We saw some extraordinary verbal intervention last week from Governor Miroslav Singer, implying not only a rate cut but also recourse to "unconventional" monetary loosening tools. Of the 21 analysts polled by Reuters, 18 are expecting a rate cut on Thursday to a record low 0.25 percent. Indeed, in a world of currency wars, a rate cut could be just what the recession-mired Czech economy needs. But Singer's deputy, Moimir Hampl, has muddled the waters by refuting the need for any unusual policies or even rate cuts. Expect a heated debate (forward markets are siding with Singer and pricing a rate cut).
