On Tuesday (15 September, 9:24 AM, GMT+7, Bangkok time), major indices in the Asia-Pacific delivered uneven performance as technology-related losses and surging U.S. Treasury yields unsettled investors.
Across the U.S., major indexes lost ground on Monday, after a decline in AI-linked equities. This followed calls from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei for a more restrained approach to AI development, while OpenAI’s Sam Altman signaled the firm would not pursue an initial public offering in 2026, citing increasing considerations regarding AI safety.
Yields on government bonds also contributed to investor apprehension. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield briefly moved above 5% on Monday, marking its highest reading since October 2023.
Looking ahead, market participants are closely watching the Federal Reserve’s meeting on Wednesday. The outlook for U.S. monetary policy remains a focal point, with futures pricing indicating around a 92% probability of a 25-basis-point increase in the policy rate, lifting it from the current range of 3.5% to 3.75%.
In China, the National Bureau of Statistics reported August retail sales rising 0.4% year-on-year, a slower pace compared to July’s 0.6% and below the 0.8% expected in a Reuters poll. Meanwhile, industrial output advanced by 5.2%, improving from July’s 4.5% and surpassing the consensus forecast for 4.8%.
Japan’s NIKKEI rose by 0.74% to 63,962.47. South Korea’s KOSPI climbed by 0.02% to 6,685.69, while Australia’s ASX 200 dropped by 0.91% to 8,669.90.
As for stocks in China, Shanghai’s SSEC slid by 0.04% to 3,883.64. Hong Kong’s HSI fell by 0.29% to 24,845.87, while Shenzhen’s SZI grew by 0.16% to 13,406.48.
The U.S. stock markets edged down on Monday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) contracted by 0.29% to 52,421.20. NASDAQ lost 0.56% to 26,186.41, and S&P 500 declined by 0.48% to 7,619.98. VIX jumped by 7.95% to 17.10.
As for commodities, oil prices settled higher on Monday as renewed concerns over supply disruptions emerged amid fresh assaults targeting Saudi Arabian energy facilities and continued attacks on vessels in the Middle East. Brent crude futures gained $1.07, or 1%, to reach $105.68 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude climbed $1.34, or 1.3%, settling at $101.39 per barrel.
This morning, Brent futures increased $1.26, or 1.19%, to $106.94 per barrel, and WTI futures added $1.34, or 1.32%, to $102.73 per barrel.
Meanwhile, gold futures shrank by 0.11% to $4,347.00 per Troy ounce.
