• China’s financial regulators are rumoured to introduce a number of cooling measures for the stock market. They include the removal of some short selling curbs and options to rein in speculative trading. Securities Regulatory Commission Chairman Wu Qinq pledged to consolidate the positive momentum of the market while promoting long-term value and rational investing. Policy officials turned skeptical about the speed of the rally of Chinese stock markets since early August. With the 2015 boom-bust in mind, they want to avoid steep losses especially for retail investors. Regulators have already drafted the nation’s financial institutions to help achieve that goal. Banks need to investigate the use of credit funds in stock markets or cut the leverage for margin traders while brokerages need to tone down their aggressive marketing campaigns. The main Chinese equity benchmarks correct 1% to 2% lower this morning. The Shanghai composite reached a new decade high at the end of August with the CSI 300 trading at best levels since early 2022 before the correction kicked in.
• The Fed’s Beige Book, a survey of regional business contacts and a preparatory document for the FOMC meeting, showed little or no change in economic activity since the previous reporting period in most of the 12 Fed districts. Across districts, contacts reported flat to declining consumer spending because, for many households, wages were failing to keep up with rising prices. Nearly all districts noted tariff-related price increases, with contacts from many districts reporting that tariffs were especially impactful on the prices of inputs. Interesting in light of Fed Chair Powell’s pivot in Jackson Hole: eleven districts described little or no net change in overall employment levels, while one district described a modest decline.
|
0 Comments