Asian markets dip as investors weigh tech earnings, Gulf tensions

Asian markets experienced a dip on October 22 as investors weighed the mixed earnings of technology companies and tensions in the Gulf. While tech earnings optimism initially provided some support, lingering concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) and geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East caused the broader MSCI Asia-Pacific index to decline by 0.2%, marking the start of a fourth consecutive weekly loss.

Japanese and South Korean stock indices also saw declines, with Japan's Nikkei and South Korea's shares falling by 0.4% and more than 1%, respectively. In contrast, US stock futures and the S&P 500 e-minis slipped by 0.4% to 7,765.8, reflecting investor caution.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq index led Wall Street to a higher close, buoyed by strong earnings reports from major players such as SpaceX, Meta, and Super Micro, a company specializing in AI server technology. However, Meta's decision to issue non-voting Class C common stock raised concerns about its AI spending. Analysts noted that the market's reaction was still early in the earnings season, which coincided with uncertainty surrounding upcoming Federal Reserve decisions, geopolitical risks, and the US mid-term elections scheduled for November 3.

Risk sentiment appeared subdued, as the yield on 10-year Treasury notes fell by 4.2 basis points to 5.1065%, while the yield on 30-year notes hit a one-week low of 5.3968%. Meanwhile, Brent crude oil prices rose 1.1% to $110.03 per barrel, nearing a five-month high. The US ordered its diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia following Houthi missile strikes, and the New York Times reported that the US and Israeli militaries were preparing specific plans for renewed attacks on Iran after the November mid-term elections.

Currency markets also showed mixed reactions, with the US dollar index dipping to 102.2, while the euro held steady at $1.1231. The Japanese yen remained relatively flat at 158.125, after the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Japan expressed openness to raising interest rates. The South Korean won was relatively stable, trading at 1,325.9, following the Bank of Korea's decision to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 3.00%.

Gold prices experienced a slight decline to $4,115.5 per ounce, while Bitcoin and Ether prices dropped by 0.4% and 0.6%, respectively.