Asia stocks weaker, dollar slips as Fed continues to weigh

Asian stocks were slightly weaker early on Monday, following Wall Street's declines and the G20's decision to drop a pledge to avoid trade protectionism, while the Federal Reserve's seemingly dovish stance last week continued to drag the dollar lower.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS was fractionally lower. Japan is closed for a holiday.

On Friday, Wall Street was flat to negative, dragged lower by bank shares that fell along with Treasury yields.

Financial leaders from the world's biggest economies reiterated their warnings against competitive devaluations and disorderly foreign exchange markets at the meeting in the German town of Baden-Baden over the weekend.

But they failed to agree on a commitment to keep global trade free and open, highlighting a global shift toward protectionism.

"Essentially it's a result of the U.S. protectionist stance, something (President Donald) Trump has been very clear on and the market is well aware of this," James Woods, global investment analyst at Rivkin Securities in Sydney, said.

"Importantly we saw other leaders such as (Japanese Prime Minister) Shinzo Abe and (German Chancellor) Angela Merkel come out publicly supporting free trade, and for now the protectionist stance remains constrained to the U.S. It would be more concerning if this began spreading to other countries."

The dollar, however, didn't react to the statements from the meeting, hovering close to its near-three-week low touched on Friday. It traded 0.1 percent lower at 112.57 yen JPY.

The dollar index .DXY, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six trade-weighted peers, inched lower to 100.26, having touched a 5 1/2-week low on Friday.

Markets are focused on a raft of speeches by Federal Reserve officials this week, including Chicago's Charles Evans on Tuesday and Friday, Chair Janet Yellen on Thursday and Dallas' Robert Kaplan and Minneapolis's Neel Kashkari on Friday and New York's William Dudley on Saturday.

The euro climbed 0.1 percent to $1.0748 after riding the relief over the Netherlands election defeat of anti-European Union candidate Geert Wilders to hit a near-six-week peak on Friday.

Attention now turns to the French election, with the first Presidential debate set to take place on Monday. Opinion polls show independent centrist Emmanuel Macron would lead far-right leader Marine Le Pen by a hair in first-round voting, before beating her in the run-off.

In commodities, oil prices continued their downward trend as doubts grew about the effectiveness of OPEC cuts in containing a supply glut as U.S. inventories continue to climb.

U.S. crude CLc1 fell 0.6 percent to $48.50 a barrel.

The weaker dollar boosted gold XAU=, which added 0.2 percent to $1,230.50 an ounce in early trade.

Reuters

Other News

Private economic sector poised for breakthrough growth

Private economic sector poised for breakthrough growth

More than a year after the Politburo's Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW on private sector development came into effect, expectations now extend beyond increasing the number of enterprises. The goal is to build a stronger business community with greater resilience, larger ambitions and the capacity to compete in global supply chains.

Vietnam remains ASEAN growth leader in 2026 despite global headwinds: WB

Vietnam remains ASEAN growth leader in 2026 despite global headwinds: WB

Vietnam is expected to remain one of ASEAN’s fastest-growing economies in 2026, supported by resilient exports, strong investment inflows and an ambitious reform agenda, despite mounting global uncertainties, according to the World Bank’s latest Vietnam Economic Update released on May 15.

Ministry establishes monitoring framework for carbon market

Ministry establishes monitoring framework for carbon market

Under a new circular, the exchange of greenhouse gas emission quotas and carbon credits is conducted on the domestic carbon credit exchange through the carbon trading system, which is interconnected with the national registration system.

Biofuel ready for nationwide rollout

Biofuel ready for nationwide rollout

For biofuels, particularly E10, to develop successfully, stronger and more coordinated policies are needed, especially pricing mechanisms capable of creating a sufficiently attractive gap between E10 and mineral-based petrol, an expert has said.

Vietnamese farm produce promoted at African investment, trade forum

Vietnamese farm produce promoted at African investment, trade forum

The 12th Africa Forum for Investment & Commerce (AFIC 12) opened in Algiers, the capital of Algeria, on May 9, drawing around 2,000 participants, including officials, economists, businesses, financial and development organizagtions from 43 African countries and international partners, including Vietnam.

Int'l medical, pharmaceutical expo opens in Hanoi

Int'l medical, pharmaceutical expo opens in Hanoi

The exhibition, which runs until May 9 at the Hanoi International Centre for Exhibition, showcases advanced products and technologies across a range of fields, including pharmaceuticals, drug manufacturing machinery and equipment, medical devices, hospital and clinic services and dental equipment.

Mega projects to transform Ho Chi Minh City urban landscape

Mega projects to transform Ho Chi Minh City urban landscape

Leading the charge in this massive building spree is the new central city square in the core of the Thu Thiem new urban area. Spanning more than 20 ha, it’s the crown jewel of the Central Square and new administrative center complex.

Vietnam establishes itself as one of region’s most dynamic manufacturing and supply bases

Vietnam establishes itself as one of region’s most dynamic manufacturing and supply bases

The country’s stable political and economic environment provides a critical foundation for long-term sourcing strategies. At the same time, Vietnam has demonstrated a strong ability to scale up manufacturing, supported by a continuously expanding industrial base capable of meeting both high-volume demand and increasingly complex technical and quality requirements.

Vietnamese pomelos gain broader access to Australian market

Vietnamese pomelos gain broader access to Australian market

The update by Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to its Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON) on April 10, officially setting out import conditions for Vietnamese pomelos, is regarded as a major milestone in market access efforts.

Vietnam's industry spearheads transition to circular economy

Vietnam's industry spearheads transition to circular economy

The circular economy is no longer just a policy choice. It has become an inevitable trend for delivering sustainable and green growth, sharpening competitiveness at home and abroad, and meeting Vietnam’s net-zero emissions target by 2050. It is now a prerequisite to sustain long-term economic expansion, particularly in industrial production and supporting industries.

Nearly 100 tonnes of Vietnamese fruits, vegetables airlifted to UAE

Nearly 100 tonnes of Vietnamese fruits, vegetables airlifted to UAE

Vietnamese fresh produce and processed foods are increasingly recognised for their quality, with items such as cashew nuts, coffee and spices gaining popularity among Middle East consumers. In 2025, Vietnam’s farm produce exports to the UAE exceeded 445 million USD, up nearly 24% year-on-year.