Archives of “September 8, 2019” day

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China trade balance data for August – surplus comes in below median estimate

  
Analysis, Economy
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Trade balance data out from China Sunday will not be viewed as a positive input for China-related risk markets.

The counter to this is, of course, the expectation of stimulus from China, some of which we have already indeed seen (eg. only on Friday we got news of  the cut to the RRR) and more is forecast.

Yuan terms trade balance data

Surplus for the trade balance of 239.60bn … miss

  • expected CNY 299.3bn, prior was CNY 310.26bn

Exports +2.6% y/y … miss … slowing global growth and US tariffs key points for exports missing

  • expected +6.3%, prior was +10.3%

Imports -2.6% y/y  – falling imports are often associated with domestic economic weakness -this result not as sharp a fall as expected.

  • expected -3.1%, prior was +0.4%

USD terms

China trade balance: $+34.84

  • expected $44.3bn, prior was $44.58bn

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Berkshire taps Japan’s hunger for yields with $4bn bond debut

  
  Analysis
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Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway headlined a record day in Japan’s bond market Friday by setting the terms on a 430 billion yen ($4 billion) offering, the biggest yen-denominated issue ever by a foreign multinational.

The U.S. investment group is selling five-, seven-, 10-, 15-, 20- and 30-year bonds.

The biggest chunk, 146.5 billion yen in 10-year debt, carries a 0.44% coupon — an attractive yield at a time when Japan’s benchmark long-term interest rate languishes below zero.

Banks, insurers, asset managers and other investors flocked to Berkshire’s offering, which falls under a global yen bond heading that allows foreign buyers to participate. Debt offerings under this framework have been growing gradually, with such big names as Apple, Starbucks, and Procter & Gamble joining in, and both Wall Street and Japanese financial institutions are pitching bond floats.

The success of the record debt sale could embolden other multinationals to raise capital in Japan’s bond market, where most yen-denominated offerings by foreign issuers have been small.

Berkshire’s AA issuer rating from S&P Global Ratings puts it slightly above the AA- of Japanese blue chip Toyota Motor. (more…)

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