The Asian markets concluded Thursday’s trade in green, amid optimism that US economy is emerging from a worse-than-estimated contraction last quarter. Confidence among Chinese consumers fell to the lowest level in nearly a year this month despite signs that measures taken by Chinese authorities have bolstered the economy. The Westpac MNI China Consumer Sentiment Index fell 7 percent to 112.6 in June. While sentiment remained above the break even 100 mark, meaning optimists still outnumbered pessimists, confidence has not been this low since July 2013. China has seen slowing growth in local government debts since the middle of last year. The balance of debts for the nine provincial governments and nine city governments audited by the National Audit Office grew by an average of 3.79 percent from the end of June last year to the end of March. Hong Kong Trade Balance rose to a seasonally adjusted -42.4B, from -55.3B in the preceding month. Singaporean Industrial Production fell to an annual rate of -2.5%, from 5.3% in the preceding month whose figure was revised up from 4.6%.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2038.68 | 13.18 | 0.65 |
Hang Seng | 23197.83 | 331.13 | 1.45 |
Jakarta Composite | 4872.42 | 33.44 | 0.69 |
KLSE Composite | 1889.97 | 0.42 | 0.02 |
Nikkei 225 | 15308.49 | 41.88 | 0.27 |
Straits Times | 3278.57 | 17.03 | 0.52 |
KOSPI Composite | 1995.05 | 13.28 | 0.67 |
Taiwan Weighted | 9320.94 | 78.78 | 0.85 |