(Repeats.)
* Graphic: World FX rates http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
* Graphic: Foreign flows into Asian stocks https://tmsnrt.rs/3f2vwbA
* Indonesian rupiah down for fifth session, up 13% in Q2
* Philippine peso depreciates in wake of falling yields
By Rashmi Ashok
July 1 (Reuters) - The Philippine peso and Indonesian rupiah
underperformed Asian peers on Wednesday as falling local yields
and pressure on the currencies from rate cuts dented their
appeal, keeping them from enjoying broader gains fuelled by
upbeat Chinese data.
The peso PHP= eased 0.2% against the dollar, while stocks
in the country .PSI slipped 1% and were on course for a
third-straight week of losses.
Philippine 10-year bonds PH10YT=RR saw yields dive half a
percentage point at the start of the week to 2.8% and have clung
to similar levels since, after the central bank unexpectedly cut
interest rates by 50 basis points to a new low last week.
While the rate cut - the fourth this year - sapped gains in
the peso, demand for Philippines' bonds was still unaffected,
with a fresh auction on Monday being oversubscribed.
"Investors must come to terms with the lower yields in their
global hunt, keeping in mind that such an environment is
supportive of the fiscal financing needed to tackle the economic
effects of COVID-19," said Han Tan, market analyst at FXTM.
"Despite the recent yield drop, the Philippines still offers
higher yields compared to South Korea, Thailand, and Taiwan on
the 10-year benchmarks."
In Indonesia, inflationary concerns lingered after the
government on Monday said Bank Indonesia (BI) would buy low
yielding bonds, including those with zero yield, to finance a
ballooning fiscal deficit caused by spending to fight the
pandemic. The rupiah IDR= fell 0.5%, declining for the
fifth-straight session. Still, the currency was the top gainer
in the region in the second quarter of 2020 by a wide margin,
appreciating 13%.
Bank Indonesia's purchases may stabilise the bond market,
but may undermine its main policy goal of rupiah stability if
debt monetization risks take hold or credit rating risks
surface, analysts at Mizuho wrote in a note.
Elsewhere, Asian equities clocked modest gains, finding
support from a private survey that showed China's factory
activity grew at a faster clip in June after the government
lifted coronavirus lockdown measures. A positive session on Wall Street overnight and a survey
showing U.S. consumer confidence rebounded in June as businesses
reopened also helped, with Singapore .STI , Taiwan .TWII and
South Korean .KS11 stocks adding around 1% each.
HIGHLIGHTS:
** Singapore STI's .STI top gainers included SATS
SATS.SI and Venture Corp VENM.SI up 2.1% each.
** Top gainers on the Thailand's SETI .SETI include Thai
OPP TOPP.BK up 14.8% and Asia Precision APCS.BK rising 13.2%
** Thailand's 10-year government bond yields were up 5 basis
points at 1.27% while 3-year yields rose 2 basis points
to 0.6%.
Asia stock indexes and
currencies at 0336 GMT
COUNTRY FX RIC FX FX YTD INDEX STOCKS STOCKS
DAILY % DAILY YTD %
% %
Japan JPY= +0.19 +0.83 .N225 -0.19 -5.96
China