Asian stocks weak due to Europe debt, global slowdown worries

Friday, 16 December 2011 00:45 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: Major Southeast Asian stock markets fell on Thursday for the third day, led by banks and commodities as a decline in Chinese factory output added to worries about the global economy and Europe’s debt crisis.

China’s factory output shrank again in December after new orders fell, a preliminary purchasing managers’ survey showed, entrenching expectations that manufacturers are struggling with waning global demand and tight domestic credit conditions.

Concern over the situation in the euro zone rose after Fitch Ratings downgraded five big European banks on Wednesday.

“Uncertainty in the euro zone and worry about a slowdown will persist,” said Song Seng Wun, a Singapore-based regional economist at CIMB-GK Research. “Any small move here and there gets exaggerated.” He said investors and funds would focus on defensive stocks such as transport and power firms until they see clear signs of a global recovery.

Indonesia fell 1.3 percent to its lowest since Nov. 29, Singapore lost 1.4 percent to a 10-week closing low, the Philippines edged down 0.1 percent and Vietnam, the region’s smallest bourse, dropped 0.8 percent to its lowest close in more than 2-1/2 years.

Thailand and Malaysia, bucking the trend, edged up 0.1 percent.   Jakarta suffered a net foreign outflow of $73.9 million and Kuala Lumpur saw $13.9 million leave. Manila enjoyed a net inflow of $28.3 million.

Traders in Singapore said there were concerns about higher counterparty risk for Singapore lenders after Fitch Ratings downgraded five major European banks.

In Bangkok, energy and banks pulled the market down, although it recovered in the final hour.   Teerada Charnyingyong, a strategist at broker Phillip Securities in Bangkok, said sentiment was quite weak and the main reason remained the euro zone debt crisis. “We see no significant direct impact from the situation in Europe but there should be an indirect impact on fund flows and market sentiment. With no near-term solutions seen, the market is likely to be volatile going into the early part of next year at least,” she said. “Asia will not be immune from the West’s macro challenges, but improvements in intra-regional trade and the domestic consumption cycle will help Asia ride out the tough times ahead,” said Bharat Joshi, assistant investment manager who helps oversee $5 billion of assets for Aberdeen Asset Management in Kuala Lumpur.

“It could be a short-term sell-off as investors realise that Asian companies’ balance sheets are a lot stronger and cash flows are still very healthy.”

The MSCI’s broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan fell 1.8 percent by 0945 GMT.