Asia stocks rally, Fed launches limitless QE against economic reality

By Administrator_India

Capital Sands

Asian stocks rallied on Tuesday as the U.S. Federal Reserve’s sweeping pledge to spend whatever it took to stabilise the financial system eased debt market pressures, even if it could not offset the immediate economic hit of the coronavirus.

While Wall Street seemed unimpressed, investors in Asia were encouraged enough to lift E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 ESc1 by 1.9% and Japan’s Nikkei .N225 by 4.9%.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS added 1.2%, though that followed a drop of almost 6% on Monday. South Korea .KS11 and Australia also recouped a little of their recent losses.

In its latest drastic step, the Fed offered to buy unlimited amounts of assets to steady markets and expanded its mandate to corporate and muni bonds.

The numbers were certainly large, with analysts estimating the package could make $4 trillion or more in loans to non-financial firms.

“This open-ended and massively stepped-up programme of QE is a very clear signal that the Fed will do all that is needed to maintain the integrity and liquidity of the Treasury market, key asset-backed markets and other core markets,” said David de Garis, a director of economics at NAB.

“COVID-19 developments remain the wild card, as is the development of government policies to support cash flow and the economy.”

The Fed’s package helped calm nerves in bond markets where yields on two-year Treasuries hit their lowest sine 2013, while 10-year yields dropped back sharply to 0.77% US10YT=RR.

Yet analysts fear it will do little to offset the near-term economic damage done by mass lockdowns and layoffs.