Stocks, currencies extend slide; China, Ukraine bonds rise

Stocks and currencies in developing markets started the week on a dour note, however China's bonds edged up following a surprise central bank policy decision and Ukraine's dollar bonds advanced following a preliminary debt rework deal.

MSCI's index tracking equities in emerging markets EEFS dropped to a near one-month low, extending the previous week's pullback, led by tech-heavy indexes in Taiwan TWSE:TAIEX and South Korea KOSPI which were down 2.6% and 1.1%, respectively.

Following two-straight weeks of gains, the MSCI index logged its steepest weekly loss in nearly two months on Friday.

An index tracking currencies (.MIEM00000CUS) eased 0.1% against the dollar to more than a two-week low as markets digested U.S. President Joe Biden's decision to bow out of the election race. Mexico's peso USDMXN, however, strengthened 0.5%.

Yields on Chinese bonds (CN2YT=RR), (CN5YT=RR), (CN10YT=RR), (CN30YT=RR) slipped between 2 and 4 basis points (bps) across the curve after the People's Bank of China lowered a key short-term policy rate and its benchmark lending rates.

"While today's rate cuts offer some reassurance that policymakers are being responsive to the recent loss of economic momentum, the heavy lifting will need to come from fiscal, not monetary, policy," said Julian Evans-Pritchard, head of China economics at Capital Economics.

In south Asia, Indian equities NIFTY, (BSESN) inched 0.1% lower and the rupee USDINR hit an all-time low of 83.67 to the dollar as caution prevailed ahead of a budget announcement on Tuesday following recent elections.

A finance ministry survey showed India's economy is expected to grow 6.5% to 7% in the current year.

Elsewhere, Turkish equities XU100 added 0.6%, ahead of a central bank monetary policy decision later in the week. Ratings agency Moody's upgraded the country's ratings to "B1" from "B3", citing improvements in governance and a tighter stance on monetary policy.

Separately, President Tayyip Erdogan, quoted by Turkish media, said a potential change in the U.S. administration after November's election may be positive for Turkey's growing defence industry.

Meanwhile, the yield on Ukrainian dollar bonds maturing in 2034 (XS1577952952=TE) fell 4.2 bps after the war-torn country announced a preliminary deal to restructure $20 billion in debt with its bondholders.

In central and eastern Europe, Poland's EURPLN zloty inched up 0.1% against the euro. Local central banker Iwona Duda said inflation would increase at the beginning of 2025, adding that a discussion on interest rate cuts could start only in the second half of next year.

Attention was also on any deal to end the prolonged Middle East conflict as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits Washington this week. The shekel USDILS firmed 0.5%.