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GLOBAL MARKETS-Oil soars after attacks on Saudi, weak China data hits shares

Published 16/09/2019, 07:39
Updated 16/09/2019, 07:40
© Reuters.  GLOBAL MARKETS-Oil soars after attacks on Saudi, weak China data hits shares

(Adds European stock futures, updates prices throughout)

* Asian stock markets : https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4

* Oil prices surge on fears of global supply disruption

* China industrial output growth weakens, hits risk appetite

* Stocks slip, safe-haven gold and Japanese yen rise

By Swati Pandey

SYDNEY, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Oil surged to four-month highs

on Monday after weekend attacks on crude facilities in Saudi

Arabia sparked supply fears, while shares in Asia extended

losses as bleak economic data from China sapped investors'

appetite for riskier assets.

European and U.S. stocks market looked set to follow, with

Eurostoxx 50 futures STXEc1 slipping 0.7%, while futures for

Germany's DAX FDXc1 were down 0.9% and those for France's CAC

40 FCEc1 eased 0.5%.

By contrast, London's FTSE futures FFIc1 climbed 0.3%.

Wall Street was signalling a weak start, too, with E-Mini

futures for the S&P 500 ESc1 off 0.4%.

Brent crude futures LCOc1 surged nearly 20% at one point

early in the day and U.S. futures CLc1 jumped almost 16%, both

hitting their highest level since May. But prices came off their

peaks after U.S. President Donald Trump authorised the use of

the country's emergency stockpile to ensure stable supply. O/R

Trump also said the United States was "locked and loaded"

for a potential response to the strikes on the Saudi facilities,

which shut 5% of world production, after a senior official in

his administration said Iran was to blame.

That inflamed fears about Middle East tensions and worsening

relations between Iran and the United States, powering

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safe-haven assets, with gold XAU= up 1% to $1,503.4 per ounce.

"The bigger issue is what premium markets will build in to

reflect the risk of further attacks," said Kerry Craig, Global

Market Strategist, J.P. Morgan Asset Management.

"In the very near-term, we may also see a pick-up in

safe-havens," he added.

"Central banks are likely to look through the inflationary

impact of higher oil prices but the added geopolitical risk to

an already fragile backdrop will not go without notice."

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan

.MIAPJ0000PUS slipped 0.4% after data showed China's

industrial production growth unexpectedly fell to its weakest

pace in 17-1/2 years in August. Painting a dour picture of the world's second-biggest

economy, China's statistics bureau said the country faces

increasing downward pressure from external uncertainties.

China's blue-chip index .CSI300 eased 0.5%, while Hong

Kong's Hang Seng index .HSI faltered about 1%, despite

expectations Beijing will soon announce more support measures.

Liquidity was relatively thin with Japanese markets shut for

a public holiday.

BONDS AND CURRENCIES

In currency markets, the Saudi news pushed the yen JPY= up

0.2% to 107.83 per dollar while boosting oil-exporter currencies

such as the Canadian dollar CAD=D3 , which rose 0.4%. FRX/

"If risk appetite collapses due to fears of worsening Middle

East tensions in the wake of any retaliation to the...attacks,

some emerging markets could face a double whammy of pressures,"

said Mitul Kotecha, Singapore-based senior emerging markets

strategist at TD Securities.

He noted that the Indian rupee INR=D3 , Indonesian rupiah

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IDR=D3 and Philippine peso PHP=D3 were the Asian currencies

most sensitive to oil shocks, given their economies' dependence

on crude imports.

The euro EUR=D3 was little moved near a three-week top

while the pound GBP=D3 stepped back from Friday's two-month

highs to be last at $1.247. That left the greenback down 0.1% at

98.126 against a basket of six major currencies .DXY .

The Australian dollar, a major risk proxy, fell 0.3% against

the yen AUDJPY= , snapping nine straight days of gains. The

kiwi dollar NZDJPY=R slipped to a one-week low on the yen.

"One immediate question this (attack) poses for bond markets

is whether a further rise in the inflation expectations

component of bond yields - which have proved historically

sensitive to oil prices - will give this month's sharp bond

market sell-off fresh impetus," said NAB analyst Ray Attrill.

"Or will safe-haven considerations dominate to drive yields

lower?"

Futures for U.S. 10-year Treasury notes TYv1 rose 0.3%.

In the cash market, prices for both two- and ten-year

Treasuries gained, ending a five-day bond sell-off and sending

yields lower from near 1-1/2 month highs. US10YT=RR US2YT=RR

Investors are also awaiting the outcome of the U.S. Federal

Reserve's policy meeting on Wednesday, at which it is widely

expected to ease interest rates and signal its future policy

path. FEDWATCH

"The markets will look to the Fed as a key pillar of support

and that will increasingly be in focus for global markets as the

week goes on," JPMorgan's Craig added.

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Asia stock markets https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4

Asia-Pacific valuations https://tmsnrt.rs/2Dr2BQA

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(Editing by Sam Holmes, Himani Sarkar & Kim Coghill)

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