Gold prices rise from 2-wk low with focus on Russia-Ukraine, Jackson Hole
* U.S. retail sales fall for first time in 7 months
* Upbeat U.S. earnings cushion blow from data
* Sterling volatile as Brexit talks continue
* Asian stock markets: https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
By Hideyuki Sano and Swati Pandey
TOKYO/SYDNEY, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Asian stocks barely moved
on Thursday as soft U.S. retail sales data raised fears about
the health of the world's largest economy, sucking the steam out
of a five-session rally, while hopes of a Brexit deal kept
sterling volatile.
South Korean, Australian and New Zealand indexes were all in
negative territory. Chinese shares were mostly flat while
Japan's Nikkei .N225 ticked up and U.S. stock futures ESc1
were barely changed.
That left MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares
outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS slightly higher with gains largely
led by Hong Kong's Hang Seng index .HSI .
The S&P 500 .SPX shed 0.20% on Wednesday after data showed
U.S. retail sales contracted in September for the first time in
seven months, in a potential sign that manufacturing-led
weakness could be spreading to the broader economy. "It looks like the trade war has claimed yet another victim,
in addition to diminished business confidence and reduced
investment spending, as consumers are starting to chicken out,"
said Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist at MUFG Union Bank.
Given U.S. consumption has been one of few remaining bright
spots in the global economy, the data fanned worries the
Sino-U.S. trade war would tip the world into recession.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Wednesday
that U.S. and Chinese trade negotiators were working on nailing
down a Phase 1 trade deal text for their presidents to sign next
month.
But he also said there were no plans for another high-level
meeting on the trade deal outlined last week.
"While the U.S. suspended a hike in tariffs, it hasn't gone
as far as scrapping the tariffs altogether, so it is hard to
expect a quick pick-up in the economy," said Yoshinori Shigemi,
global market strategist at JPMorgan Asset Management.
'NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED'
Losses in equities were somewhat offset by a solid start to
the earnings season, though that is partly because investors
have already marked down their expectations substantially.
Earnings for S&P 500 companies are forecast to show a decline of
3% for the quarter, according to Refinitiv data.
Bank of America BAC.N shares rose 2.0% following its
quarterly results. Netflix NFLX.O rose 9.9% in after-hours
trade after its earnings beat Wall Street estimates.
In the currency market, soft U.S. retail sales took the
shine out of the dollar.
The dollar index =USD was last at 98.005, having touched
its lowest since Aug. 27 on Wednesday.
Against the yen, it was a flat at 108.73 JPY= after
peaking at 108.90 on Tuesday.
The euro stood at $1.1074 EUR= , near a one-month high of
$1.1085 hit in U.S. trade on Wednesday.
Sterling traded at $1.2821 GBP=D4 , having risen to as high
as $1.2877 on Wednesday, its loftiest since mid-May.
The pound has risen more than 5% in the past five sessions
on hopes the United Kingdom and the European Union can strike a
fresh deal in an EU leaders' summit on Thursday and Friday.
Investors have welcomed optimistic comments from key
officials in the last few days. British culture minister Nicky
Morgan said late on Wednesday there is a good chance of a deal.
Still, many doubts remained, not the least of which is if
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson can ensure his government
and factious parliament approve the plan.
"Trading the British pound intra-day at the moment is not
for the faint-hearted with deep pockets required," said Jeffrey
Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA.
"The street clearly wants to take GBP higher on any Brexit
hope, but traders should be aware that the pullback will be
equally as ugly if progress stalls or collapses yet again."
In commodities, oil prices slipped after industry data
showed a larger-than-expected build-up in U.S. crude stocks,
adding to concerns that demand for oil around the world may
weaken amid further signs of a global economic slowdown.
Brent crude LCOc1 futures fell 0.47% to $59.14 a barrel
while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 lost 0.7%
to $52.98.
Spot gold was slightly weaker at $1,488.31 an ounce.