Market Pulse - Asia
New Huawei models won't have Facebook, Instagram or Whatsapp pre-installed
Facebook won’t allow Huawei to pre-install its apps on the manufacturer's new smartphones anymore, reported Reuters on Friday.
PBoC Governor says "tremendous" room left for more stimulus
China's central bank has "tremendous" room to provide further policy stimulus if trade tensions with Washington escalate, its Governor said at the end of the week.
Huawei must improve 'shoddy' security standards, UK cyber official says
A senior British cyber security official from the GCHQ said on Thursday that Huawei needs to raise its “shoddy” security standards as the company faces pressure from the US and its allies.
Sector movers: Investors in 'defensives' breathing easier, at least for now
Defensive issues led the way higher on Thursday despite it being an up day for FTSE 350 stocks, possibly denoting underlying caution on the part of investors.
US trade deficit slightly higher than forecast in April, March revised up
America's shortfall on trade with the rest of the world shrank slightly in April amid a decline in both exports and imports.
Trump to decide on extra $300bn of China tariffs in two weeks
US President Donald Trump threatened China with an extra $300bn tariffs on Chinese imports on Thursday and that a decision might come in the "next two weeks", but added that he believes China wants a trade deal.
Bank of Russia governor says rate cut 'possible'
The governor of the Bank of Russia has confirmed that an interest rate cut is possible when the central bank next meets.
ECB says rates on hold 'at least' through first half of 2020
The European Central Bank pushed back on expectations for the first hike in official short-term interest rates, saying they would remain at their present level "at least" through the front half of 2020.
Trump needs more progress to avert Mexico tariffs, worries
Trump said on Wednesday that he needs to see more progress in talks between the US and Mexico before walking back on his threat to slap tariffs on up to 25% of all Mexican imports.
US claims China playing 'blame game' in trade war
The US has accused China of playing the "blame game” by misrepresenting why trade talks between the two powers had broken down, leading Washington to go ahead and raise tariffs on Chinese exports as it had threatened to do at the end of 2018.
China steel sector merger could result in world's top producer
A merger between Chinese steelmakers Baowu and Magangset will create the world's top producer, with combined annual output exceeding that of the entire US, overtaking ArcelorMittal.
Asia report: Indices lower as US-China spat rattles on
Asian markets were predominantly lower on Tuesday as the Chinese and US governments continued to snipe at each other, making a resolution to their trade dispute seem increasingly distant.
Gazprom shares hit decade high on speculation of management changes
The market capitalisation of Russia's state-owned Gazprom reached its highest level since just after the start of the Great Financial Crisis at the start of the week, amid speculation that more management changes might be in the pipeline, Bloomberg reported.
Caixin China manufacturing PMI steady in May, surprising consensus
Activity in China's manufacturing sector was steady last month, according to the results of perhaps the most closely-followed survey of conditions in the sector.
Monday newspaper round-up: Taiwan, Global airlines, Manufacturing
Beijing is prepared to take “resolute action” to press its claims over Taiwan, China’s defence minister has warned as he argued that suppressing the Tiananmen revolt in 1989 was justified. Speaking at a security conference in Singapore yesterday General Wei Fenghe criticised US support for Taiwan, vowing that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) would not "yield a single inch of the country’s sacred land". China considers Taiwan to be a breakaway province since a bloody civil war in the 1940s and seeks to unify with the island.