Rare protests have sprung up across China against strict zero-Covid measures and calling for political freedoms
Stocks and oil prices fell Monday on concerns about protests across China calling for political freedoms and an end to the government’s hardline zero-Covid policy, fuelling uncertainty in the world’s number-two economy.
Hundreds of people took to the streets in China at the weekend in the country’s biggest demonstrations since pro-democracy rallies in 1989 were crushed.
“Unrest in major cities in China has destabilised risk-on markets including oil which is under pressure, pushing BP and Shell towards the bottom of the UK index,” noted Victoria Scholar, head of investment at Interactive Investor.
China-linked stocks took the brunt of selling in Asia, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index closing down more than one percent and Shanghai off 0.8 percent. The yuan slipped by around one percent.
Paris, London and Frankfurt all ended in the red Monday while Wall Street also lost ground.
“Sentiment has turned sour as unrest across China grows,” said SPI Asset Management’s Stephen Innes.
“Risk of the situation escalating from here and short-term volatility remains high.”
A deadly fire in the Xinjiang region Thursday served as the catalyst for the public anger in China, with many blaming virus lockdowns for hampering rescue efforts.
People have taken to the streets in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu calling for an end to lockdowns, after an easing of some measures had fuelled hopes of a lighter pandemic approach.
Some demonstrators were even demanding the resignation of China’s President Xi Jinping, who was recently re-appointed to a precedent-breaking third term as the country’s leader.
The latest targeted containment measures have been introduced as the country sees record-high Covid infections.
China’s “zero covid policy means the threat of more growth-choking lockdowns are there. This is going to hold back the yuan and Chinese stocks, and potentially risk assets outside of China – not least crude oil, as we have seen”, City Index analyst Fawad Razaqzada said in a note.
The prospect of a hit to demand in the world’s biggest crude importer hammered oil prices.
The price of the Brent crude, the main international oil contract, was down 0.4 percent later Monday.
– Eyes on Fed boss –
The weakness “isn’t just about China. The reports out of China have also become a good excuse to take some money off the table following a big run by the market”, Briefing.com analyst Patrick J O’Hare said in a note.
The selling has taken a bit out of recent gains across markets sparked by hopes of a slowdown in the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes, with inflation finally showing signs of softening.
However, some observers said the protests could provide long-term benefits as they could force President Xi to shift away from his strict, economically damaging measures sooner.
Investors were also looking ahead to the release of US jobs data at the end of the week, which could provide clues about the Fed’s next moves, while speeches by central bank boss Jerome Powell and other key policymakers will also be pored over.
– Key figures around 1700 GMT –
New York – Dow: DOWN 0.7 percent at 34,096.43 points
London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.2 percent at 7,474.02 (close)
Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 1.1 percent at 14,383.36 (close)
Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.7 percent at 6,665.20 (close)
EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.7 percent at 3,935.51
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.4 percent at 28,162.83 (close)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.6 percent at 17,297.94 (close)
Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.8 percent at 3,078.55 (close)
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0377 from $1.0403 on Friday
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 138.82 yen from 139.03 yen
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2020 from $1.2087
Euro/pound: UP at 86.32 pence from 86.03 pence
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.7 percent at $76.84 per barrel
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 0.4 percent at $83.31 per barrel
