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ASIAN MARKET - SINGAPORE. Asian equities were poised to end a turbulent week on a steady note, with Thailand's stocks leading the charge on Friday, while currencies edged higher ahead of crucial U.S. monthly payrolls data that could set the stage for outsized rate cuts.
The MSCI Emerging Markets index increased 0.4% on Friday, but it was still on track for a weekly decline of more than 2%.
Thailand's benchmark index gained more than 1.5% to its highest since Jan. 9. Taiwan's shares rose by 0.8%, although the island's stocks were heading towards their worst weekly performance since July 19. Stocks in Jakarta advanced 1% to a record high of 7754.48 points.
There was significant anticipation among investors surrounding the U.S. non-farm payrolls report due later on Friday, as the data will influence the size of the interest rate cut that the U.S. Federal Reserve will deliver at its Sept. 17-18 meeting.
Traders view a quarter-point reduction as the more probable action, but they also assign about a 49% chance to a 50-basis-point cut, according to rate futures contracts. This comes after Thursday's data revealed that U.S. job openings dropped to a 3-1/2-year low in July.
"A much weaker report may further raise concerns about its cooling labour market," said Christopher Wong, a currency strategist at OCBC. "Risk-off trades may pressure high-beta FX, including AUD, NZD, KRW while JPY, CHF and to some extent, USD can benefit."
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Asian currencies traded higher, with Thailand's baht, Taiwan's dollar, and South Korea's won advancing 0.3% each, while Indonesia's rupiah and Malaysia's ringgit added 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively.
Mixed U.S. data has heightened concerns about economic growth in the world's largest economy, increasing the odds of outsized U.S. rate cuts and tarnishing the dollar's allure.
The dollar index, a measure against six major peers, hovered near a one-week low, after slipping about 0.2% overnight.
The MSCI's emerging market currencies index, last up 0.3%, has been trading higher for the last six weeks.
This week's inflation data from Asia has heightened expectations for regional rate cuts, as August saw lower-than-expected inflation in Thailand and the Philippines, a 3-1/2-year low in South Korea and stable price pressures in Indonesia.
The expected rate cuts by the Fed would provide greater flexibility for Asian central banks to reduce rates if their domestic conditions warrant such measures.
"BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) is likely to follow through with additional rate cuts over the coming quarters, while Bank Indonesia and Bank of Korea may also start easing within this year," said Frances Cheung, a rates strategist at OCBC.
In Malaysia, the central bank maintained its overnight policy rate at 3.00% for the eighth consecutive meeting on Thursday as it appears more confident that inflation will remain manageable and the ringgit will be supported.
