Asia-Pac stocks were mostly subdued after Friday’s losses on Wall St and a weekend dominated by a brief Russian mutiny – Newsquawk Europe Market Open

• APAC stocks traded mostly subdued after Friday’s losses on Wall St with weekend newsflow dominated by the brief uprising of the Wagner Group in Russia.
• Wagner Group chief Prigozhin accepted a proposal by Belarusian President Lukashenko to stop the movement of his troops to Moscow.
• European equity futures are indicative of a marginally higher open with the Euro Stoxx 50 +0.2% after the cash market closed down 0.8% on Friday.
• In FX, DXY is rangebound, EUR/USD lingers just above 1.09, Cable found a floor at 1.27 and NZD outperforms.
• Looking ahead, highlights include German Ifo Survey, ECB’s Lagarde Speaks at the ECB Sintra Forum, Supply from EU & US.

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US TRADE

EQUITIES

• US stocks finished lower on Friday and snapped their weekly gains in what was a choppy session with an early risk-off mood sparked from weak global PMIs, while the US PMIs were varied with manufacturing PMI at a steeper contraction but services PMI topped estimates and there was also some mixed commentary around inflation.
• SPX -0.77% 4,348, NDX -1.00% at 14,891, DJIA -0.65% at 33,727, RUT -1.44% at 1,821.
• Click here for a detailed summary.

NOTABLE HEADLINES

• US President Biden will give an address on economic policy on June 28th, according to the White House.
• A train derailment in Montana collapsed a bridge and sent several tanker cars carrying hazardous materials into the Yellowstone River.

APAC TRADE

EQUITIES

• APAC stocks traded mostly subdued after Friday’s losses on Wall St owing to weak global PMIs and amid a lack of fresh catalysts to spur markets with weekend newsflow dominated by the brief uprising of the Wagner Group in Russia.
• ASX 200 was lacklustre with price action rangebound as weakness in the top-weighted financial sector offset the modest gains in real estate and tech.
• Nikkei 225 lacked decisiveness as participants digested the latest BoJ Summary of Opinions which mostly stuck to the dovish script as it stated it is appropriate to maintain current monetary easing and premature to shift policy, although a member suggested the BoJ must consider reviewing YCC at an early stage even as it maintains easy monetary policy.
• Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp were somewhat varied with the Hong Kong benchmark kept rangebound, while the mainland underperformed on return from the Dragon Boat Festival where travel spending was below pre-COVID levels to add to the weak domestic demand and slower consumption narrative.
• US equity futures were kept afloat in an uneventful start to the week heading towards the end of H1.
• European equity futures are indicative of a marginally higher open with the Euro Stoxx 50 +0.2% after the cash market closed down 0.8% on Friday.

FX

• DXY was rangebound in the absence of any pertinent catalysts from the US where the data calendar is light at the start of the week heading into quarter-end and PCE data on Friday
• EUR/USD traded sideways with price action stuck around the 1.0900 level as the latest ECB rhetoric continued to point to a data-dependent approach for policy rates beyond July.
• GBP/USD marginally extended on a rebound off a floor at the 1.2700 level, with the UK seeking ways to contain inflation with Chancellor Hunt to tell consumer watchdogs that they must use their powers to help bring down prices.
• USD/JPY slightly eased back after recent advances with officials threatening to respond to excessive moves.
• Antipodeans were firmer with NZD outperforming on cross-related flows and as New Zealand’s PM Hipkins leads a trade delegation visit to China.
• PBoC set USD/CNY mid-point at 7.2056 vs exp. 7.2095 (prev. 7.1795)
• Japan’s top FX diplomat Kanda said they will respond to FX moves if moves become excessive and FX should move stably reflecting fundamentals, while he will not rule out any options when asked about intervention and said they are focusing on FX moves rather than levels. It was also reported that Finance Minister Suzuki said they will continue to watch the FX market with a sense of urgency and will respond appropriately if there are excessive moves.
• SNB’s Jordan said the central bank will probably have to hike rates again and the recent interest hike was likely not enough to fully get to grips with the high inflation in Switzerland, according to an interview with SRF.

FIXED INCOME

• 10yr UST futures were uneventful as the lack of weekend macro drivers stateside all but guaranteed a calmer mood following the data-induced whipsawing seen during Friday’s session.
• Bund futures took a breather following last week’s late surge with near-term support at the 134.00 level.
• 10yr JGB futures eked modest gains with prices steady after Japanese Services PPI printed in line with the previous reading and as the BoJ Summary of Opinions largely stuck to the dovish script.

COMMODITIES

• Crude futures head into the European session relatively flat after the initial upside momentum in WTI crude futures was thwarted by resistance around the USD 70/bbl level, while the brief mutiny in Russia had little effect on prices.
• OPEC Secretary General said they see global oil demand rising to 110mln bpd by 2045, according to Reuters.
• Saudi Aramco CEO said oil market fundamentals remain generally sound for the rest of the year and developing countries, especially China and India, are driving oil demand growth of more than 2mln bpd this year. he also stated that China’s transport and petrochemical sectors are still showing signs of demand growth despite economic headwinds, while he added that renewable energy growth has not met growth in global energy consumption.
• Saudi Aramco and TotalEnergies (TTE FP) award contracts for USD 11bln Amiral project, according to Reuters.
• Qatar said the situation in Russia calls for maximum restraint and will have repercussions on energy and food supplies, according to a Foreign Ministry statement cited by Reuters.
• Eastern Libyan authorities threatened to blockade oil exports over the distribution of state energy revenue.
• Spot gold traded rangebound as price action reflected the uneventful mood in the dollar.
• Copper futures found some mild reprieve on the return of its largest purchaser to the market but with upside capped by the mostly subdued risk appetite.

CRYPTO

• Bitcoin was marginally lower after failing to hold above the USD 33,500 level.

NOTABLE ASIA-PAC HEADLINES

• PBoC injected CNY 196bln via 7-day reverse repos on Sunday and injected CNY 244bln via 7-day reverse repos with the rate for both operations kept at 1.90%, according to Reuters.
• BoJ Summary of Opinions from the June meeting stated it is appropriate to maintain current monetary easing and that wage growth is needed, not just cost-push inflation to sustainably and stably hit the price target. BoJ also stated that it is premature to shift policy as smaller firms become keen to hike wages and invest more, as well as noted that the BoJ must maintain easy policy with an eye on side-effects, as long-term risks to prices are skewed to the downside. Furthermore, it stated there was no need to make operational tweaks to YCC as the distortion in the shape of the yield curve has been resolved although a member also noted that the BoJ must consider reviewing YCC at an early stage, even as it maintains easy monetary policy.

DATA RECAP

• Japanese Services PPI YY (May) 1.6% (Prev. 1.6%)

GEOPOLITICS

RUSSIA/UKRAINE

• There were reports that the Wagner Group took control of all military facilities in two big Russian cities including Voronezh which is 310 miles from Moscow and that a convoy was headed to Moscow led by senior Wagner commander Utkin after Wagner Group Chief Prigozhin declared war against the Russian Defence Ministry.
• Russian President Putin stated during a national address that they are facing treason and internal betrayal, while he said that any differences should be dropped and that everyone that took part in a mutiny will be punished. Furthermore, he signed an order for 30 days of detainment if martial law is violated and the Russian Foreign Ministry warned Western countries against using the Wagner mutiny ‘to achieve their Russophobic goals’, according to Reuters.
• Russian Wagner Group chief Prigozhin issued a defiant message following Russian President Putin’s speech in which he officially refused to obey Putin’s orders and said he and his men would not turn themselves in on Putin’s orders, as well as stated that Putin is wrong to accuse him of treason. There were also comments in a Wagner-affiliated Telegram channel that Putin made a wrong choice and Russia will have a new president soon.
• It was later reported on Saturday that Wagner Group chief Prigozhin accepted a proposal by Belarusian President Lukashenko to stop the movement of his troops to Moscow which was said to be a profitable and acceptable proposal to solve the issue on the table in which Prigozhin will move to Belarus and the charges against him will be dropped, while Prigozhin confirmed the Wagner Group is returning its convoys to bases to avoid bloodshed and is turning the column advancing to Moscow back to bases.
• Russia’s Kremlin confirmed that Belarusian President Lukashenko helped mediate with the Wagner Group and said fighters that did not take part in the march will sign contracts with the Defence Ministry, while other fighters who took part will not be prosecuted in recognition of their service and stated that avoiding bloodshed was more important than punishing people.
• Ukrainian President Zelensky said the situation in Russia shows no one is in control and there is chaos. Zelensky also stated that Ukraine will not remain silent, will not be inactive and will defend Europe’s eastern flank, while he added that the longer Russian troops remain in Ukraine, the greater the devastation they will bring to Russia, according to Reuters.
• Ukrainian President Zelensky said he spoke with US President Biden in which they discussed the course of hostilities and processes taking place in Russia, while he called for global pressure on Russia and noted that leaders discussed a further expansion of defence cooperation with the emphasis on long-range weapons, according to Reuters.
• Russian President Putin said he is in contact with Defence Ministry officials and Russia feels confident in realising all its plans and tasks related to the special military operation to which he gave top priority to, according to Reuters.
• Ukraine’s Defence Minister Reznikov discussed recent events in Russia with Defence Secretary Austin in which he stated that Russian authorities are weak and that things are moving in the right direction, according to Reuters. It was separately reported that a Ukrainian official said there were no visible signs of a meltdown on the frontline but added that the Wagner Group turmoil could create some new opportunities.
• Ukrainian military intelligence chief General Budanov said Russia has finished preparations for a terrorist attack at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant with 4 out of 6 power units at the plant mined with explosives and ready to be blown, according to an interview with The New Statesman.
• US Secretary of State Blinken said the Russian turmoil is an internal matter and he doesn’t think we’ve seen the final act of the turmoil. Blinken also stated that it is too soon to say what the future holds for Wagner fighters and that there has been no change in the US nuclear posture, as well as noted that the unity to support Ukraine remains, according to Reuters.
• US, UK, German and French leaders reaffirmed their commitment to continue supporting Ukraine for as long as necessary, according to a German government spokesperson cited by Reuters.
• Germany reportedly pushed back against the EU plan to raid Russian assets, according to FT.
• Russia’s central bank said the Moscow stock exchange, banks and other financial institutions will operate as normal on Monday despite the non-working day being observed in Moscow as banks need to ensure the continuous and smooth operation of Russian financial markets, according to Reuters.
• 3,000 elite Chechen troops were sent to protect Moscow from mutinous mercenaries if necessary, according to RIA.

OTHER

• US Secretary of State Blinken said he raised the issue of China’s military base in Cuba with Cuba.
• Chinese Foreign Minister Qin met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Rudenko in Beijing and exchanged views on regional and international issues of common concern, according to China’s Foreign Ministry cited by Reuters.
• Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said Chinese aircraft approached within 24 nautical miles of Taiwan’s coast.
• North Korea said it will increase its response to stronger US military measures and provocations on the Korean peninsula, while it added that US Secretary of State Blinken’s threats against China to pressure Pyongyang expresses a dangerous hegemonic mentality, according to KCNA.
• Turkish President Erdogan spoke with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg and said that Sweden must stop protests by PKK supporters for NATO membership, according to Reuters.

GLOBAL NEWS

• Bank for International Settlements warned of material risks of further financial stress, while it called for more interest rate hikes and said the world was at a crucial point as countries struggle to rein in inflation, according to Reuters.
• Turkish Central Bank said securities maintenance regulation was simplified to increase the functionality of market mechanisms and strengthen macro-financial stability, according to Reuters.

EU/UK

NOTABLE HEADLINES

• UK PM Sunak defended possible curbs on UK public sector pay in which he warned that high public sector pay rises would be giving with one hand and taking with the other by fuelling inflation, according to FT.
• UK Chancellor Hunt will tell consumer watchdogs that they must use their powers to help lower prices amid concerns that supermarkets, banks and utility companies are using high inflation as a cover to boost profits, according to the Sunday Times.
• ECB published an interview with Vice-President de Guindos in which he noted that monetary policy measures are starting to have an impact on financing conditions and a contraction in credit will pass through to the real economy with dampening demand to lower inflation. De Guindos noted that the finishing line is in sight when questioned if the target is a long way off and responded that it will depend on the data when asked if an end to hikes can be expected before the summer holidays.
• ECB’s Makhluof said he is undecided regarding a rate increase beyond July and is prepared to look at the evidence, while he thinks they are near the top of the ladder, according to Irish Independent.
• Europe’s Single Resolution Board pushes policymakers to provide more protection for depositors and is said to be requesting a rethink into how lenders are wound down following recent bank failures, according to FT.
• Greek conservatives led by former PM Mitsotakis had a clear lead over former PM Tsipras’s Syriza party in the rerun election with official results showing Mitsotakis’s New Democracy party winning 40.4% of votes and a majority of 157 seats in the 300-seat parliament, according to Reuters.