Futures
Asian Stocks, Bond Futures Rise on Bessent's US Treasury Pick
2024-11-25
Investors greeted the appointment of fund manager Scott Bessent as the next U.S. Treasury secretary with enthusiasm on Monday. This move was seen as a potential boon for markets, as Bessent was expected to advocate for their interests in Washington. Benchmark 10-year Treasury futures saw a rise of 13 ticks, ahead of the cash open, while S&P 500 futures gained 0.4% and neared a record high. The dollar weakened across the board, with the euro seeing a 0.5% increase to $1.0484.
Market Reactions and Expectations
Strategist Stephen Spratt from Societe Generale described the market view of Bessent as a "safe hands" candidate, which provided relief as the risk of a more unorthodox pick was priced out of markets. Australia's share market touched a new high, and futures pointed to a stronger open in Japan and a weaker start in Hong Kong. However, the week's trade was likely to be affected by Thursday's Thanksgiving holiday.In bond markets, President-elect Donald Trump's appointment of a Treasury secretary has been closely watched. Expectations of tax cuts, tariffs, and an immigration crackdown have raised fears of inflation and large deficits. Bessent had previously stated that he would recommend "tariffs be layered in gradually" in a CNBC interview before his selection. He has also advocated for the U.S. to grow its way out of large debts in a Bloomberg interview and for tax reform and deregulation in the Wall Street Journal to spur bank lending and energy production. Bessent spent his career working for billionaire investor George Soros and noted short seller Jim Chanos and also ran his own hedge fund.The yen appreciated about 0.4% to 154.15 per dollar. The Aussie dollar bounced 0.6% to $0.6541, and the kiwi, which had slid to a one-year low on Friday due to increased bets on a dovish central bank, rebounded 0.5% to $0.5862. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is set to meet on Wednesday, with a 50 bp rate cut fully priced and markets suggesting about a 1/3 chance of a super-sized 75 bp cut.