The Asia Eight

Daily must-reads from the world’s most dynamic region

February 18, 2021

1 TOP STORY: What to expect from HKEX’s new chief

2 ATF TV: Why are analysts talking about the Chinese yuan

3 NEWS: Global coordination needed to vaccinate against Covid-19

4 ASIA MARKETS: Soaring yields spark funding cost worries

5 NEWS: Surge in oil prices will be shortlived

6 NEWS: Treasury yields touch highest level post Covid

7 NEWS: News Corp signs content deal with Google

8 ATF BIG PICTURE: Facebook ratchets up fight with Australia

01 Top Story Some tips and history for HKEX’s new chief

Earlier this month, HKEX announced that Argentine Nicolas Aguzin will succeed Charles Li as CEO of the world’s 5th largest stock exchange. Both executives joined HKEX directly from top positions with JP Morgan, the notable difference being that Aguzin comes from the private banking side of the US’s largest bank.

02 ATF TV Strengthening of yuan

Stephen Innes, Chief Global Market Strategist at Axi discusses why analysts around the world are talking about strengthening of the Chinese yuan.

03 Polar vortex-induced oil spike to fade

Oil’s surge to 13-month peaks will be shortlived, analysts say, as the polar vortex that has hit the US Midwest and Gulf regions is expected to give way to better weather by the weekend, when normal supply and demand dynamics of the sector should return.

04 Asia Markets

Japan’s Nikkei 225 index dipped 0.19%, Australia’s S&P ASX 200 ended flat but Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index slid 1.58% underperforming the region and China’s CSI300 tumbled 0.68%.

Market Wrap

05 Battle over 'vaccine equity' reaches UN

The United Nations has called for global "vaccine equity" amid reports that rich nations are hoarding Covid-19 shots while the developing world faces a massive shortage, in the wake of an unprecedented UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting called to discuss the pandemic.

06 Treasury yields touch a post-Covid high

The 10-year US Treasury yield touched 1.33% on Wednesday – its highest point since the Covid pandemic developed pace last February, as it emerged that the Federal Reserve is debating how to make the public comfortable with higher inflation.

07 News Corp agrees global content deal with Google

Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp struck a global news deal with Google, the media company said on Wednesday February 17, in the most extensive agreement yet for news content with big tech.

08 ATF Big Picture