The Asian markets concluded Friday’s trade mostly in red, with the benchmark index paring its seventh straight weekly gain, as a Federal Reserve official stated that US may raise interest rates by March. Japanese retail sales rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of -0.4%, from -4.4% in the preceding month. Japanese Household Spending fell to a seasonally adjusted -8.0%, from -4.6% in the preceding month. Tokyo’s core CPI, which excludes fresh food costs remained unchanged at an annualized rate of 2.8%. Japan’s unemployment rate fell unexpectedly last month. The Statistics Bureau stated that the percentage of the total work force that is unemployed and actively seeking employment during the previous month fell to a seasonally adjusted 3.5%, from 3.6% in the preceding month. Japan’s National Core CPI rose to a seasonally adjusted 3.4%, from 3.2% in the preceding month. Thai Industrial Production fell to a seasonally adjusted -4.1%, from -3.9% in the preceding month.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2036.51 | -2.17 | -0.11 |
Hang Seng | 23221.52 | 23.69 | 0.10 |
Jakarta Composite | 4845.13 | -27.29 | -0.56 |
KLSE Composite | 1880.93 | -9.04 | -0.48 |
Nikkei 225 | 15095.00 | -213.49 | -1.39 |
Straits Times | 3271.05 | -7.52 | -0.23 |
KOSPI Composite | 1988.51 | -6.54 | -0.33 |
Taiwan Weighted | 9306.83 | -14.11 | -0.15 |