Asia Pacific share market ended steep lower on Friday, 04 November 2016, on tracking sharp losses on Wall Street, as uncertainty over the US election sent investors rushing into the safe heaven assets.
The battle between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump has tightened significantly in the past week, as several swing states that were leaning toward Clinton are now considered toss-ups. Clinton has been viewed as the candidate of the status quo, while many fear that a Trump victory on Tuesday would carry global risks to trade and growth.
Fresh polls released yesterday, 3 November 2016 reportedly showed that Democrat Hillary Clinton, who is seen as the status quo candidate by markets, maintained her narrow lead over Republican Donald Trump. Investors generally view Clinton as a known quantity, but there is deep uncertainty about what a Trump win might mean for US economic policy, free trade and geopolitics.
Among Asian bourses
Australia Market slips for fourth day
Australian share market declined for fourth session in row, with investors continued opting for safe heaven assets on nervousness ahead of next week's U.S. presidential election. Opinion polls showing a tightening White House race between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump have rattled markets. Every industry category on the main section except realty and utilities issues lost ground, led by financial trust, financial, material, energy, and industrial issues. At the closing bell, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index dropped 44.80 points, or 0.86%, to 5,180.80, while the broader All Ordinaries index was down 43.50 points, or 0.82%, to 5,263.10. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index and the broader All Ordinaries Index declined 2% for the week.
Metal and mining stocks declined. Resources giants BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto were off 1.7% and 0.6%, respectively, while Fortescue Metals cruised 0.7% higher mirroring a small lift in the iron ore price Thursday night.
Mayne Pharma plummeted 15.4% after news broke the US Department of Justice has launched an investigation into price collusion in the generic drugs market.
Shares in explosives maker Orica soared 8.3% after the company swung back into the black with a A$340 million profit.
Flight Centre Travel Group shares were off 8% after the Australia's biggest listed travel agent warned first-half underlying profit could fall nearly a third, sending its shares plunging and underscoring the effects of a host of geopolitical events on tourism. The downgrade builds on gloomy trading updates from the country's two top airlines, Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia, which said this week they are experiencing intense competition for international fares due to soft demand.
Nikkei falls as US poll jitters lift yen
The Japan share market finished the session steep lower, with risk sentiments dragged down by tracking drops in Wall Street overnight and the yen's ascent against greenback. Meanwhile, the likelihood of a tight US presidential race and concerns over the outcome of the Federal Reserve meeting spooked sentiment. Total 31 out of 33 TSE sectoral issues declined, with Transportation Equipment, Insurance, Pharmaceutical, Marine Transportation, Wholesale Trade, Mining, and Construction issues being major losers. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell 1.34 per cent, or 229.32 points, to 16,905.36, while the Topix index of all first-section issues was down 1.56 per cent, or 21.40 points, at 1,347.04.
Export related stocks hit hard on tracking yen ascent against US dollar. oyota plunged 4.04 percent from the previous session to 5,698 yen, while Mazda sank 5.07 percent to 1,570 yen, with a cut in its annual profit outlook Wednesday also weighing on the share price. Sony fell 2.75 percent to 3,175 yen and Nintendo was off 3.91 percent to 24,400 yen. Canon lost 0.90 percent to 2,970 yen.
Shares in Takata were suspended after the Nikkei business daily reported that the airbag maker was preparing for a possible bankruptcy protection filing of its US unit as recall costs rise. Takata, however, said it "has not made any decision nor has facts to be disclosed" concerning the matter and added there was no new decision since a similar news report last month.
China Market falls as US vote anxiety
Mainland China stock market finished session slight lower, as lingering worries over the looming US election outcome overshadowed signs of a stabilising Chinese economy. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index went down 0.12% to close at 3,125.32 points. The CSI 300 index of the 300 biggest companies traded in Shanghai and Shenzhen dropped 0.32% to close at 3,354.17 points.
Comforted by recent upbeat manufacturing and service data, Chinese investors are turning their attention to a flurry of fresh economic data in the coming weeks that is widely expected to reinforce views that the world's second-largest economy is stabilising.
Most sectors dipped, dragged in particular by property and transport stocks, as well as massive profit-taking in speculative stocks. Guangzhou Automobile Group gained more than 6 per cent in heavy volume. The car maker aims to raise up to 15 billion yuan ($2.22 billion)via private placement to fund green car and proprietary brand push.
Hong Kong Stocks slide amid US election uncertainty
The Hong Kong stock market declined to 3-month low, amid agonizing over the potential of a Donald Trump presidency in the United States. The Hang Seng Index fell 0.18% or 40.89 points to 22642.62, while the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index rose 0.1% or 9.50 points to 9491.51. Turnover decreased to HK$51 billion from HK$54.9 billion on Thursday. The Hang Seng Index dropped 1.4 percent this week
The UK's High Court ruled that Parliament must give its approval before Brexit can begin. CKI Holdings (01038) jumped 3.4% to HK$65.55. It was top blue-chip gainer. Power Assets (00006) gained 0.8% to HK$73.65.
Sands China (01928) reported 9-month adjusted EBITDA growth of 15% to US$629 million, triggering a slew of research houses' bullish comments. But the stock pared its gains in afternoon trade, and ended up barely 0.3% to HK$34.05. Galaxy Entertainment (00027) fell 1% to HK$31.75.
Lenovo (00992) softened 0.2% to HK$4.86 after it reported interim turned red. SMIC (00981) soared 8.8% to HK$1.11 ahead of its earnings report on Monday (7 November).
Sensex slides 0.6%
Indian benchmark indices declined as negative global cues spoiled investors' sentiment. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, fell 156.13 points or 0.57% to settle at 27,274.15. The Nifty 50 index fell 51.20 points or 0.60% to settle at 8,433.75. Selling pressure was witnessed in select mid-cap and small-cap stocks.
Shares of cigarette major ITC jumped 3.64% to Rs 249.10 as fears of Goods and Services Tax overhang has subsided after the GST council finalised four-tier tax structure. The GST council approved four main tax slabs 5%, 12%, 18% and 28% under the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Engineering and construction major L&T fell 1.78% to Rs 1,418.90. Media reports suggested that the government is selling stake in L&T via block deal mechanism on the stock exchanges today, 4 November 2016. As per reports, the government proposes to offload up to 3% stake in the company held under Specified Undertaking of the Unit Trust of India (Suuti). The base price for the share sale has been set at Rs 1,415.66 per share, about 2% discount to the stock's closing price of Rs 1,444.55 on the BSE yesterday, 3 November 2016, reports added. Suuti currently holds 8.14% stake in L&T as per the shareholding pattern as on 30 September 2016.
State run coal mining major Coal India lost 3.44% to Rs 315.50 on reports that a foreign brokerage has maintained underperform rating on the stock with a target price of Rs 270.
Colgate-Palmolive (India) rose 3.40% to Rs 983.85 on reports a foreign brokerage has upgraded the stock to outperform from neutral and revised target price on the stock to Rs 1,150 from Rs 1,100 earlier.
Elsewhere in the Asia Pacific region: New Zealand's NZX50 lost 1% to 6708.47. Indonesia's Jakarta Composite index rose 0.6% to 5362.66. Taiwan's Taiex flat at 9068. South Korea's KOSPI index shed 0.1% to 1982.02. Malaysia's KLCI was flat at 1648. Singapore's Straits Times index eased 0.5% to 2788.80.
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