The Asian markets concluded Friday’s trade mostly in green, with Tokyo up as inflation data was in line with expectations. A survey on Thursday from China showing factory activity expanded at its fastest in 18 months in July also continued to give cautious markets a lift. However, ongoing unrest in the Middle East and Ukraine continued to keep investors alert for any developments that could have a wider impact on risk sentiment and markets. The International Monetary Fund lowered its outlook for global growth this year as expansions weaken from China to the US and military conflicts raise the risk of a surge in oil prices. The IMF stated that China’s economy is seen expanding 7.4% this year, less than the 7.5% forecast in April. The growth in the world’s second-largest economy will slow to 7.1% next year, less than its forecast in April for 7.3%. The IMF report reflected a world rattled by geopolitical risks that have risen since April, including the potential for sharply higher oil prices because of recent Middle East unrest.
Japan’s National Core CPI fell to a seasonally adjusted 3.3%, from 3.4% in the preceding month while Tokyo’s core CPI, which excludes fresh food costs, remained unchanged at an annualized rate of 2.8%. Singaporean Industrial Production rose to an annual rate of 0.4%, from -1.9% in the preceding month whose figure was revised up from -2.5%.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2126.61 | 21.55 | 1.02 |
Hang Seng | 24216.01 | 74.51 | 0.31 |
Jakarta Composite | 5088.80 | -9.84 | -0.19 |
KLSE Composite | 1877.34 | 0.29 | 0.02 |
Nikkei 225 | 15457.87 | 173.45 | 1.13 |
Straits Times | 3350.17 | -3.72 | -0.11 |
KOSPI Composite | 2033.85 | 7.23 | 0.36 |
Taiwan Weighted | 9439.29 | -88.25 | -0.93 |