Asian markets ended mostly in red on Thursday, with the benchmark index retreating from a one-month high. China’s stocks rose, sending the benchmark indices to a 15-month high, as real-estate and financial companies gained on speculation the government is loosening financing curbs. The Bank of Japan board decided by a unanimous vote to leave the bank’s policy target unchanged, as expected, keeping its cautiously optimistic economic outlook despite recent soft retail sales. Under the current easing framework, the BoJ is committed to doubling the sum of money in circulation and deposited at the central bank in two years from 138 trillion yen at the end of 2012. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s new cabinet appointments signal his determination to deliver on pledges to overhaul the pension system and bring more women into the workforce. South Korea’s gross domestic product rose less-than-expected last month. South Korean GDP rose to a seasonally adjusted 0.5%, from 0.6% in the preceding month.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2306.86 | 18.24 | 0.80 |
Hang Seng | 25297.92 | -20.03 | -0.08 |
Jakarta Composite | 5205.32 | -18.82 | -0.36 |
KLSE Composite | 1869.21 | 4.34 | 0.23 |
Nikkei 225 | 15676.18 | -52.17 | -0.33 |
Straits Times | 3346.34 | -2.43 | -0.07 |
KOSPI Composite | 2056.26 | 5.06 | 0.25 |
Taiwan Weighted | 9428.89 | -21.46 | -0.23 |