Asian equities edge up at open, dollar declines

Synopsis

Asian stocks are on track for their best week since June, fueled by technology shares and optimism surrounding corporate earnings. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index saw gains, with Japanese equities leading the charge. The dollar weakened, while investors anticipate a potential interest-rate cut by the Federal Reserve, contributing to the positive market sentiment.

Asian stocks edged up at the open Friday, poised for a fifth consecutive day of gains, as technology shares lifted Japanese equities.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 0.5%, helped by a 1.3% rise in the Nikkei-225 index. Sony Group Corp. and Softbank Group Corp. led the gains after reporting earnings. Contracts for US stocks edged higher. Treasuries were little changed while oil headed for a 5% weekly slump.

The dollar slipped for a sixth consecutive session Friday, poised for its longest losing streak since March 2024. The yen pared gains as Japan’s chief trade negotiator said the US agreed to end so-called stacking on universal tariffs and cut car levies at the same time.

Asian shares are poised for their best week since June amid speculation of an interest-rate cut by the Federal Reserve. Investors have also grown optimistic about corporate earnings, which has helped the S&P 500 advance 30% from the lows in April, when President Donald Trump announced his tariff blitz.

Meanwhile, Trump signaled new sanctions on Russia could land as early as Friday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also added that China levies “could be on the table” over the buying of Russian oil.

The gains in Asia came after the S&P 500 closed Thursday little changed, halting a rally that drove stocks to the brink of a record.

Whether or not the blistering rally in American equities is about to cool, some big firms have warned clients to prepare for a near-term pullback amid sky-high valuations. Added to bulls’ worries is seasonality. August and September have historically been the two worst months for the S&P 500.

“We talk about the potential for ‘air pockets’ in this current environment based primarily on headline risk, which remains elevated in our view,” said Dan Wantrobski at Janney Montgomery Scott. “This renders them vulnerable to pullbacks as we enter the second half of 2025.”

Australian bonds slipped, tracking Treasuries after Thursday’s $25 billion bond sale followed poor results for three- and 10-year debt auctions this week.

On the economic front, US continuing jobless claims surged to the highest since November 2021, adding to recent signs that the labor market is weakening.

Meantime, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller is emerging as a top candidate to serve as the central bank’s chair among President Trump’s advisers as they look for a replacement for Jerome Powell, according to people familiar with the matter.

Trump said he had chosen Council of Economic Advisers Chairman Stephen Miran to serve as a Fed governor. The US president said that Miran, who will need to be confirmed by the Senate, would only serve the expiring term of Adriana Kugler, which expires in January.

“Depending on the president’s perception of his performance, he may also be a contender to replace Chair Powell when his term ends in May,” Joseph Capurso, head of international economics at Commonwealth Bank of Australia wrote in a note to clients. “While we expect Miran to advocate for lower interest rates, we do not consider he will push the FOMC to cut the Funds rate if the data does not support a cut.”

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