Emerging-Market Stocks Drop as Middle East Conflict Continues
July 17 (Bloomberg) -- Emerging-market stocks dropped as the conflict between Israel and Lebanon entered its sixth day and oil traded near last week's record.
Markets in Israel and Turkey fell, paced by lenders such as Bank Hapoalim Ltd. and Turkiye Is Bankasi AS. Beirut's exchange was closed.
A measure of Asian stocks slid to a three-week low, with India's benchmark pacing declines. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. led the region's exporters lower on concern that higher energy costs will slow world economic growth.
``Middle East tensions are going to drive stocks this week,'' said Rohan Walsh, who manages about $1.7 billion as head of equities at Invesco Asset Management Australia Ltd. in Sydney. ``It's not an easy time for the market.''
The Morgan Stanley Capital International Emerging Markets Index dropped 1.6 percent to 710.85 at 3:19 p.m. New York time. The measure has tumbled 19 percent from its May 8 record.
The index of companies based in 25 countries has lost 5.6 percent since Hezbollah launched rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel July 12, prompting Israeli bombing raids in response. At least 142 Lebanese civilians have been killed since the conflict began, Lebanese police said. At least 24 Israelis have also been killed.
Crude oil fell after four days of gains when Sky News reported that Israel may stop its attack on Lebanon within days, which the Israeli government denied.
Crude declined 1.7 percent to $75.30 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The futures reached a record $78.40 on July 14.
Israeli Stocks
``Every time oil prices reach new record levels, we see stocks drop,'' said John Padilla, who helps manage about $2.8 billion at the trust department of Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. in Manila. ``With new developments in the Middle East, we've become bearish again.''
Israel extended attacks on targets in Lebanon today in retaliation for Hezbollah forces firing rockets into its third- largest city, Haifa.
The nation's TA-25 Index lost 0.9 percent to 766.19 today. The index has tumbled 6.2 percent since Hezbollah's first missiles were fired into Israel.
Hezbollah rockets today struck the deepest yet inside Israel, reaching the Galilee, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the nation's northern border.
It ``continues to be a situation of war and uncertainty, both in terms of when this will end, and how it will end,'' said Edna Brenner, an analyst at Psagot Ofek Securities.
Hapoalim, the country's largest lender, slid 1.1 percent to 19.29 shekels. Bank Leumi Le-Israel Ltd, the second biggest, fell 1.3 percent to 15.43. Brenner said banks attract the most foreign investment among stocks traded in Tel Aviv.
Turkish Decline
Turkey's ISE National-100 Index dropped 3.3 percent to 32,702.89, as all but six stocks were lower. The index lost 6.6 percent last week, its worst performance since the week that ended June 9.
Turkiye Is Bankasi, known as Isbank, and Akbank TAS, the nation's largest publicly traded lenders, paced the decline, falling 4 percent and 4.9 percent respectively.
The Beirut Stock Exchange was closed today, according to Arab Finance Corp. S.A.L. and Blominvest Bank S.A.L. The exchange wasn't available for comment. Lebanon's benchmark had tumbled for the three previous sessions, losing more than 10 percent on July 13, the most ever.
In Latin America, Brazil's Bovespa fell 1.4 percent, led down by Cia. Vale do Rio Doce, the world's No. 1 iron-ore producer, which fell 3 percent to 41.5 reais. The Morgan Stanley index of Latin American stocks fell for a seventh day, losing 1.1 percent to 2244.05. The index is down 6.4 percent since July 6.
Arab Stocks Rebound
Decisions about whether Beirut's bourse will open in the coming days are made on ``a day-to-day basis,'' said Samir Akhras, the general manager of Arab Finance. Nobody at the exchange was available for comment.
Stocks in Saudi Arabia and Egypt rose as some investors bet the slide caused by the conflict between Israel and Lebanon may have been overdone. Saudi Telecom Co., the nation's largest telephone operator, led the advance.
The Dow Jones DIFC Arabia Titans Index, a measure of 50 stocks in 10 Arab countries, added 0.2 percent to 320.27. The Tadawul All Share Index in Riyadh rose 8.7 percent to 11347.49 while Egypt's CASE 30 Index advanced 0.4 percent to 4855.34. The measures have slid 7.5 percent and 11.5 percent respectively since July 11.
Saudi Telecom, the second-largest member of the Tadawul, rose 10 percent to 107.75 riyals.
The Morgan Stanley Capital International Asia-Pacific excluding Japan Index fell 1.4 percent to 316.39, the lowest since June 29. Markets were closed in Japan and South Korea for holidays.
India Declines
India's Bombay Stock Exchange Sensitive Index, or Sensex, dropped 3.6 percent to 10,293.22.
``Oil continues to stay very high and it's going to hit our current-account deficit,'' said Amandeep Chopra, who manages about $366 million in stocks at UTI Asset Management Co. in Mumbai.
Elsewhere in the region, Taiwan Semiconductor and Singapore's Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd. led declines.
Brokerages have been cutting forecasts for U.S. technology companies, which will dominate earnings reports this week.
U.S. economic data from the end of last week also weighed on markets. July 14 reports after Asian trading had closed showed an unexpected drop in U.S. retail sales and consumer confidence, raising concern growth is slowing in Asia's biggest export market.
