The Asian markets concluded Monday’s trade mostly in red, as investors await the release of key manufacturing data from China later in the week. China’s top economic planning agency stated that the country will try to quicken the pace of economic reform this year as part of the government’s efforts to arrest a slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy. The National Development and Reform Commission reaffirmed nine reform priorities for 2014, including deepening reforms in the power and the oil and gas industries and cutting red tape for investment approvals. Japan’s Core Machinery Orders rose to 19.1%, from -8.8% in the preceding month. Hong Kong Unemployment Rate remained unchanged at a seasonally adjusted 3.1%, as of the preceding month. Malaysian GDP rose to a seasonally adjusted 6.2%, from 5.1% in the preceding month. Thailand’s gross domestic product fell less-than-expected last month. Thai GDP fell to a seasonally adjusted -0.6%, from 0.6% in the preceding month.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2005.18 | -21.32 | -1.05 |
Hang Seng | 22704.50 | -8.41 | -0.04 |
Jakarta Composite | 5015.00 | -16.58 | -0.33 |
KLSE Composite | 1887.07 | 3.73 | 0.20 |
Nikkei 225 | 14006.44 | -90.15 | -0.64 |
Straits Times | 3262.43 | -0.16 | - |
KOSPI Composite | 2015.14 | 1.70 | 0.08 |
Taiwan Weighted | 8899.90 | 11.45 | 0.13 |