Hong Kong stocks fall 2% as Fed’s Powell hints at more rate hikes ahead

China’s economy saw weaker imports despite its rapid reopening, UBS’ head of China economic research Wang Tao said in a note.

“Despite a rapid reopening (sequentially) in the past 2 months, domestic demand growth on y/y basis may have been still relatively soft,” she said in a note.

She added the import volume of copper ore and iron ore both improved from December likely due to a pick up in construction activities.

“Our channel checks suggest that work resumption of construction sector was slow in the first two weeks post CNY holiday, but accelerated in the 3rd and 4th weeks,” she said, noting that crude oil import growth also fell alongside imports of IT components and auto products.

China on Tuesday saw exports fall by 6.8% in February in U.S. dollar terms and imports also declined 10.2%.

— Jihye Lee

The U.S. plans to scrap Covid testing requirements for travelers coming from China, a source familiar with the matter told NBC News.

The requirements, which applied regardless of nationality and vaccination status, started Jan. 5.

“Since the implementation of the policy, we have evidence that cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are declining in the [People Republic of China] and we have gathered better information about the surge,” the person told NBC, adding that the U.S. will continue to monitor cases in China and around the world.

The Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance Program will still be kept in place, and will continue to monitor flights from China and regional transportation hubs, NBC reported.

— NBC News, Lee Ying Shan

Japan’s seasonally adjusted current account balance rose to 216.3 billion yen ($1.57 billion) in January, government data showed on Wednesday.

The surplus in balance saw a sharp drop from December’s balance of 1.18 trillion yen and November’s balance of 1.92 trillion yen.

The Japanese yen slightly weakened on Wednesday morning to 137.46 against the U.S. dollar

— Jihye Lee

Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe in a speech on Wednesday said the central bank is closer to reaching a point to pause further interest rates hikes.

“With monetary policy now in restrictive territory, we are closer to the point where it will be appropriate to pause interest rate increases to allow more time to assess the state of the economy,” he said, according to a transcript.

“At what point it will be appropriate to pause will be determined by the data and our assessment of the outlook,” said Lowe.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s senior economist Belinda Allen said in a note that the speech did not reverse Tuesday’s statement that carried less hawkish tones.

Allen added that CBA expects the central bank to hike once more before pausing to 3.85% — or to hold rates in the upcoming April monetary policy meeting.

— Jihye Lee

The gap between the 2-year Treasury yield and the 10-year Treasury rate widened to 100 basis points during Tuesday’s trading. This spread has not settled at levels this wide since September 22, 1981.

The 2-year yield jumped to its highest since 2007 after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the central bank may need to increase the pace of interest rate hikes again.

The yield curve inversion is a phenomenon that for half a century has accurately signaled coming recessions.

— Yun Li

There were two key quotes in the Congressional testimony of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell as far as markets were concerned.

“The latest economic data have come in stronger than expected, which suggests that the ultimate level of interest rates is likely to be higher than previously anticipated,” Powell said in prepared remarks.

This means the Fed may keep raising for longer than the market anticipated. Many wanted the Fed to stop hiking soon.

“If the totality of the data were to indicate that faster tightening is warranted, we would be prepared to increase the pace of rate hikes,” Powell also said.

The Fed’s last hike was just a quarter point as it slowed the pace. Powell is hinting here the Fed may need to speed back up, which is a big fear of the markets.

— John Melloy

A U.S.-listed ETF is only investing in companies that are led by women, with the belief that the “female factor” outperforms.

The ETF was created after its fund manager, who has a background in investment banking and private equity, observed that institutional barriers to female candidates for top positions have meant that those who do succeed have had to perform at a higher level, resulting in better overall performance.

The ETF is based on an index that has outperformed its benchmark by over 20% over the past five years.

CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.

— Ganesh Rao

Meta is planning another round of layoffs that could affect thousands of workers as soon as this week, according to a Bloomberg News report published Monday evening.

The job cuts come after the company laid off 13% of its workforce in November as part of a major cost-cutting plan. CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously told investors that 2023 would be the “year of efficiency” for the company. 

Meta shares gained 1.5% during premarket trading on Tuesday following the news. 

— Hakyung Kim