Economic growth data from India and the Philippines, as well as trade data from Thailand, are expected to be in focus this week as investors assess the outlook for Asia`s battered emerging markets. Emerging markets in general have taken a beating in recent weeks amid expectations of an unwinding of US monetary stimulus and analysts say there is growing focus on economic data as investors try to assess which markets to move back into and which to stay away from. "The direction in emerging markets currencies is clear," said Khoon Goh, senior currency strategist at ANZ bank told CNBC Asia`s " Squawk Box ." "We did see a pause on Friday, but the Fed is still poised to unwind stimulus so the pressure on emerging markets will remain." India releases gross domestic product (GDP) data for the April-to-June quarter on Friday, while second-quarter GDP data from the Philippines are out on Thursday and Thailand releases its customs-based trade numbers later on Monday. India`s economy grew 4.8 percent in the January-March quarter from a year earlier and economists say it probably slowed in the second quarter. "Q2 GDP for India is poised for a further deceleration, deeper into sub-par regions. This risks intensifying the rupee, stocks and bond market sell-off," Vishnu Varathan, market economist at Mizuho Corporate Bank said in a note. "To a lesser extent, the slowdown in Philippines` Q2 GDP will cast a pall on emerging Asia prospects, consequently weighing on Asia asset markets," he added. The U.S. also releases its second reading of second-quarter GDP this week and the number is expected to be in focus amid speculation over whether the Federal Reserve could start to scale back its asset-purchase program from September.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Aug 2013 08:02:35 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015