U.S. jobs rate shows highest employment rate in seven years and dollar stays at seven month high. While Japanese and Chinese shares up, Asian stock markets were mixed as condition supports the case for Feds rate hike in December.
According to Reuters, Asian stocks were mixed as dollar stood at a 7-month high on Monday after robust U.S. jobs data. MSCI shows Tokyo's Nikkei Stock Average 225 rose 2% and Shanghai Composite Index is up 1.6%. While Asia Pacific shares outside Japan decline, South Korea KOSPI dropped 0.6%, Australian lost 1.6%,Singapore's Straits Times Index decreased 0.6 percent, and Indonesian IHSG also down 1.6%. Nikkei's gain resulted after a significant weakened yen against US dollar, as Reuter also reported dollar index stood strong at 7 months high at 99.345 DXY.
It is likely that Fed will raise interest rate in December and dollar strength is estimated to be extended. However, Ben Le Brun, market analyst at OptionsXpress in Sydney told Reuters, that it could drag on prices of oil and other commodities. Federal Reserve under Janet Yellen is speculated to increase rate following strong dollar and higher job rates. In response to that, analysts Evan Lucas as quoted by CNBC wrote that "Janet Yellen holding firm on a December rate hike expectation during her testimony to Congress on Thursday, and then the massive beat from the non-farm payrolls (NFP) on Friday, 2015 has been realigned with the beginning of the year's expectations of at least one rate hike,"
Janet Yellen is the first woman who head Federal Reseve when she was sworn in February 2014. Some of Wall Street acknowledge her as a "dove" instead of "hawk" her concern of unemployment rather than inflation. When she lead Fed, she not easily endorse interest rate hike, but some predicted that when economic situation is supportive, she will act differently. This month's recorded the lowest unemployement rate since April 2008 of 5%, and the highest nonfarm payroll since December 2014 to 271,000. Along with strong dollar ignites a speculation of interest rate hike in December.
Another analyst also predicted increase of interest rate in December because the condition is favorable to Janet Yellen's policy. Shane Oliver from AMP Capital Investors Ltd toldBloomberg that "Strong U.S. jobs data for October supports the case for a December Fed rate hike,"
Under the helm of Janet Yellen, with the lowest job rate in seven years, its is likely Federal Reserve will increase the interest rate in December. Mixed reaction from the market is reported after a good result in job rate and strong dollar. Beside Nikkei and Shanghai, Asian stocks market slipped as analysts also predicted rate hike is highly possible.
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