* Asian stock markets : https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
* U.S. 10-yr yields reach 12-month peak of 1.38%
* Shares regain some ground, wary of higher yields
* Sterling, commodity currencies on the rise
* Oil resumes climb, metals lead "real" assets higher
By Wayne Cole
SYDNEY, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Asian share markets inched up on
Monday as expectations for faster economic growth and inflation
globally battered bonds and boosted commodities, though rising
real yields were making equity valuations look more stretched in
comparison.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan
.MIAPJ0000PUS added 0.2%, after slipping from a record top
last week as the jump in U.S. bond yields unsettled investors.
Japan's Nikkei .N225 recouped 1.0% and South Korea .KS11
0.4%, but Chinese blue chips .CSI300 lost 1.2%.
S&P 500 ESc1 and EUROSTOXX 50 futures STXEc1 were both
hesitating around flat, while FTSE futures FFIc1 fell 0.6%.
Bonds have been bruised by the prospect of a stronger
economic recovery and yet greater borrowing as President Joe
Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus package progresses.
"Yield curves have continued to steepen, as COVID infection
rates decline further, reopening plans are discussed and a large
U.S. fiscal stimulus package looks likely," said Christian
Keller, Barclays' head of economics research.
"This in principle signals a better medium-term growth
outlook for the U.S. and beyond, as other core yields curves are
moving in the same direction," he added. "Meanwhile, central
banks seem set to look through this year's inflation increase,
keeping the curves' front end anchored."
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell delivers his semi-annual
testimony before Congress this week and is likely to reiterate a
commitment to keeping policy super easy for as long as needed to
drive inflation higher.
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde is also
expected to sound dovish in a speech later Monday.
Yields on 10-year Treasury notes have already reached 1.38%
US10YT=RR , breaking the psychological 1.30% level and bringing
the rise for the year so far to a steep 43 basis points.
Analysts at BofA noted 30-year bonds US30YT=RR had
returned -9.4% in the year to date, the worst start since 2013.
"Real assets are outperforming financial assets big in '21
as cyclical, political, secular trends say higher inflation,"
the analysts said in a note. "Surging commodities, energy
laggards in vogue, materials in secular breakouts."
A COPPER-PLATED RECOVERY
One of the stars has been copper, a key component of
renewable technology, which shot up 7.7% last week to a
nine-year peak. Even the broader LMEX base metal index climbed
5.5% on the week.
Oil prices have gone along for the ride, aided by tightening
supplies and freezing weather, giving Brent gains of 22% for the
year so far. O/R
Early Monday, Brent crude LCOc1 futures were up another 50
cents at $63.41 a barrel, while U.S. crude CLc1 added 45 cents
to $59.69,
All of which has been a boon for commodity linked
currencies, with the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand
dollars all sharply higher for the year so far.
Sterling reached a three-year top at $1.4050 GBP= , aided
by one of the fastest vaccine rollouts in the world. British
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to outline a path from
COVID-19 lockdowns on Monday. The U.S. dollar index has been relatively range-bound, with
downward pressure form the country's expanding twin deficits
balanced by higher bond yields. The index was last at 90.341
=USD , not far from where it started the year at 90.260.
Rising Treasury yields has helped the dollar gain somewhat
on the yen to 105.60 JPY= , given the Bank of Japan is actively
restraining yields at home.
The euro was steady at $1.2128 EUR= , corralled between
support at $1.2021 and resistance around $1.2169.
One commodity not doing so well is gold, partly due to
rising bond yields and partly as investors question if crypto
currencies might be a better hedge against inflation. GOL/
The precious metal stood at $1,786 an ounce =XAU , having
started the year at $1,896. Bitcoin BTC=BTSP was off 1.8% on
Monday at $56,403, but started the year at $19,700.
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Asia stock markets https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
Asia-Pacific valuations https://tmsnrt.rs/2Dr2BQA
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(Editing by Shri Navaratnam)