Shanghai plunge leads broad Asian decline

Agence France-Presse

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Shanghai plunge leads broad Asian decline

EPA

The decline was its biggest single-day drop since February 2007

HONG KONG, China Shanghai shares on Monday, July 27 suffered their biggest one-day decline in more than 8 years, leading a broad Asian decline as they plummeted 8.48% and defied government efforts to prop up the market. 
 
The dollar remained weak after a disappointing read on the US housing market, as investors await the US Federal Reserve’s next policy meeting, while oil was also under pressure owing to a global supply glut. 
 
Most Asian stock markets fell but Chinese shares suffered the most, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index closing down 8.48%, or 345.35 points, at 3,725.56.  
 
The decline was its biggest single-day drop since February 2007, according to Bloomberg News. 
 
Hong Kong fell 3.09%, or 776.55 points, to 24,351.96, while Tokyo declined 0.95%, or 194.43 points, to 20,350.10. Seoul gave up 0.35%, or 7.15%, to 2,038.81. 
 
However, Sydney ended higher, adding 0.43% on gains by retailers. 
 
Economic data in China caused sentiment to turn, despite official efforts to support the stock market following a rout that began last month. 
 
“Investors are not confident that the bull market will return any time soon,” Jimmy Zuo, a trader at Guosen Securities, told Bloomberg.  
 
“People want to pocket profits after the benchmark index rose past the 4,000 mark.” 
 
On Monday, the government said profits of major industrial firms slipped 0.3% year-on-year in June, and on July 24, an independent survey of manufacturing activity came in at its weakest reading since April 2014. 
 
Officials have unveiled a range of measures, including a police crackdown on short-selling and a 6-month ban on big shareholders selling stock, to avert a slump which began in mid-June. (READ: No fear of China meltdown contagion – DOF) 
 
But stocks on the mainland nevertheless sank on Friday, and again on Monday. 
 
“The soft industrial figure number is adding downward pressure,” said Gerry Alfonso, a sales trader at Shenwan Hongyuan Group Corporation in Shanghai. 
 
Investors also took a lead from their US counterparts, who continued to cash out on Friday as data showed sales of new single-family homes fell in June and May sales were much lower than previously reported. 
 
The news trumped forecast-busting earnings from online retailer Amazon. 
 
The Dow fell 0.92%, the S&P 500 dropped 1.07%, and the Nasdaq sank 1.12%. 
 
The focus is now on the US Federal Reserve’s policy meeting this week. While it is not expected to raise rates immediately, dealers are hoping for some forward guidance, with most analysts tipping a rise in either September or December. 
 
In foreign exchange markets the dollar was at 123.41 yen Monday, down from 123.81 yen in New York late Friday. 
 
The euro changed hands at $1.1083 and 136.81 yen against $1.0977 and 135.89 yen in US trade. 
 
Oil resumed its downtrend as demand weakens in the face of a slowing Chinese economy, weakness in Europe, oversupply, and expectations of a flood of Iranian crude onto world markets. 
 
US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for September delivery fell 30 cents to $47.84 and Brent crude for September was down 33 cents to $54.33 a barrel. 
 
The weak US data lifted gold as it dampened expectations of an early US rate rise. 
 
Gold fetched $1.096.60 an ounce compared with $1,080.17 late Friday. 
 
The precious metal has taken a hit in recent weeks as investors look for better returns elsewhere.

Other markets 
 
Taipei ended 2.41%, or 211.18 points, lower at 8,556.68. 
 
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company closed 2.19% lower at Tw$134 while Formosa Plastics Corp was off 1.55% at Tw$69.9. 
 
Wellington shed 0.38%, or 22.12 points, to 5,872.06. 
 
Air New Zealand was down 0.56% at NZ$2.64 and Fletcher Building slipped 1.86to NZ$7.90. 
 
Manila lost 1.54%, or 118.08 points, to 7,547.44. 
 
BDO Unibank was down 3.24% to P101.50 pesos, Semirara Mining and Power was down 0.83% to P119,and Universal Robina fell 0.52% to P190.50. 
 
Mumbai fell 1.96%, or 550.93 points, to end at 27,561.38 points. 
 
Tata Steel fell 5.17% to 251.40 rupees, while Bajaj Auto rose 0.41% to 2,507.70 rupees. 
 
Bangkok dropped 1.78%, or 25.53 points, to 1,412.55. 
 
Siam Cement slid 1.94% to 506.00 baht, while oil company PTT fell 0.95% to 314.00 baht. 
 
Kuala Lumpur key index lost 0.64%, or 11.00 points, to 1,709.76. 
 
Petronas Gas fell 0.09% to 21.58 ringgit, Sime Darby rose 0.12% to 8.49 ringgit, while Genting Malaysia dropped 0.94% to 4.21 ringgit. 
 
Jakarta ended down 1.76%, or 85.31 points, at 4,771.29. 
 
Indonesian financial service company Batavia Prosperindo Finance gained 1.79% to 570 rupiah, while Bank Negara Indonesia fell 3% to 4,850 rupiah. 
 
Singapore fell 1.17%, or 39.23 points, to close at 3,313.42. 
 
United Overseas Bank eased 0.94% to end at Sg$23.19 and property developer Capitaland tumbled 2.05%to Sg$3.34. Rappler.com 

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