Asian markets ended in red on Thursday, with the regional benchmark index heading for its lowest since March, extending a rout in global equities after the yen gained the most against the dollar in six months. China’s broadest measure of new credit rose to a three-month high in September as the central bank’s targeted measures to boost liquidity helped spur lending. New local-currency loans were 857.2 billion yuan, and M2 money supply grew 12.9 percent from a year earlier. Foreign reserves were $3.89 trillion at September 30. Separately, China is lowering down payment requirements and discounting mortgages as declining housing sales put a drag on the economy. After four years of government restrictions to cool housing prices that had tripled since 2000, the central bank is reversing course, making it easier for homeowners to buy second properties.
Industrial production in Japan fell more-than-expected last month. The industrial production fell to a seasonally adjusted -1.9%, from -1.5% in the preceding month. Singaporean Retail Sales fell to a seasonally adjusted 5.4%, from 5.5% in the preceding month. South Korean Interest Rate Decision fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 2.00%, from 2.25% in the preceding quarter.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2356.50 | -17.17 | -0.72 |
Hang Seng | 22,900.94 | -239.11 | -1.03 |
Jakarta Composite | 4951.61 | -11.33 | -0.23 |
KLSE Composite | 1767.77 | -19.07 | -1.07 |
Nikkei 225 | 14,738.38 | -335.14 | -2.22 |
Straits Times | 3154.21 | -44.51 | -1.39 |
KOSPI Composite | 1918.83 | -7.08 | -0.37 |
Taiwan Weighted | 8633.69 | -21.82 | -0.25 |