The Asian markets concluded Monday’s trade mostly in red, as concerns over escalating violence in Iraq weighed on sentiment. Markets continued to monitor events in Iraq as militants linked to al-Qaeda threatened to take Baghdad after capturing key cities elsewhere in the country over the weekend. The number of private homes sold by developers in Singapore in May was the highest monthly figure in almost a year. Developers sold 1,470 units last month, a 0.8 percent rise compared to 1,459 units in May 2013. The level of sales was nearly double April’s figure of 749 and was the highest since June 2013 when 1,806 units were sold. Singapore has taken steps to cool the housing market, and property prices have fallen for the past two quarters. Hong Kong’s gross national income rose 3.5% year-on-year to $537.3 billion in the first quarter, while Gross Domestic Product grew 4.6% to $530 billion. Hong Kong’s GNI was larger than its GDP by $7.3 billion, representing a net external primary income inflow of the same amount, and equivalent to 1.4% of GDP in that quarter.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2085.98 | 15.27 | 0.74 |
Hang Seng | 23300.67 | -18.50 | -0.08 |
Jakarta Composite | 4885.46 | -41.20 | -0.84 |
KLSE Composite | 1871.58 | -5.16 | -0.27 |
Nikkei 225 | 14933.29 | -164.55 | -1.09 |
Straits Times | 3290.26 | -2.99 | -0.09 |
KOSPI Composite | 1993.59 | 2.74 | 0.14 |
Taiwan Weighted | 9202.93 | 6.54 | 0.07 |