Asia shares brace for China data, euro pressure
==========

Asian share markets were mostly softer on Monday ahead of a slew of Chinese economic news, while political uncertainty in Europe soured risk appetites and kept the euro on the defensive. Analysts expect annual growth in China's retail sales picked up to 3.0% in May, from 2.3%, with some upside risk thanks to holidays that month. Industrial output is seen slowing a little to 6.0%, from 6.7%, with growth in urban investment steady. There was also talk the People's Bank of China (PBOC) could cut a key lending rate by 10 basis points, in part due to surprisingly weak bank lending data released on Friday. Japan's Nikkei slipped 1.7%, with investors now facing a six-week wait to hear details of the Bank of Japan's next tightening steps. S&P 500 futures were flat, while Nasdaq futures edged up 0.1% after a run of record finishes. Analysts at Goldman Sachs have raised their year-end target for the S&P 500 to 5,600, from 5,200 and the current 5,431. The main U.S. data of the week will be retail sales for May on Tuesday, where a 0.4% bounce is expected after a 0.3% drop in April, while markets have a holiday on Wednesday. At least 10 policy makers from the Federal Reserve are due to speak this week and will no doubt address the market's wagers for two rate cuts this year. Central banks in Australia, Norway and the UK are all expected to hold rates steady at meetings this week, though the Swiss National Bank (SNB) might well ease given the recent strength of the Swiss franc. Markets have boosted the probability of a cut to 75% as political uncertainty in France drove the euro to a four-month trough at 0.9505 francs on Friday. French markets endured a brutal sell-off last week ahead of a snap election that might give a majority to the far right, with risks to the country's fiscal position and the stability of the euro zone. That left the euro pinned at $1.0706, after shedding 0.9% last week to touch a six-week low of $1.06678. The dollar was a shade firmer on the yen at 157.54, after briefly spiking above 158.00 on Friday when the BOJ said it would start tapering bond buying a little later than many had wagered on. In commodity markets, gold held at $2,326 an ounce, after bouncing 1.7% last week. Oil prices eased a touch after rallying 4% last week amid hopes for stronger demand from the U.S. driving season. Brent crude dipped 17 cents to $82.45 a barrel, while U.S. crude also fell 17 cents to $78.28 per barrel.



https://www.investing.com/news/economy-news/asia-shares-brace-for-china-data-euro-pressure-3486083