Asian markets ended in green on Wednesday, after Japanese industrial production jumped the most since January and as investors awaited a decision by the US Federal Reserve on quantitative easing. Singapore’s finance minister stated that the country’s longest stretch of property price declines since the global financial crisis may not be enough to prompt the city to ease its housing curbs. Singapore’s private home prices fell 0.7% in the three months ended September, the fourth quarter-on-quarter drop, bringing the slide in the past year to almost 4%. That’s the longest losing streak since 2009, when the government started housing curbs with some of the strictest measures implemented last year, including a cap on debt.
Japanese industrial production rose the most since January in a sign that companies are recovering from the blow of a higher sales tax. Bank of Japan Governor raised concern that it would be hard to deal with risks should confidence in the nation’s finances be shaken by a delay while a finance official in Abe’s ruling party warned the economy isn’t strong enough. Industrial production in Japan rose more-than-expected last month. The industrial production rose to a seasonally adjusted 2.7%, from -1.9% in the preceding month. The BOJ, in an economic assessment earlier this month after August output unexpectedly declined, stated that some weakness was showing, particularly on the production side. Abe will look at third-quarter data when he decides whether to proceed with an increase in the sales levy to rein in the world’s largest debt burden.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2373.03 | 35.16 | 1.50 |
Hang Seng | 23,819.87 | 299.51 | 1.27 |
Jakarta Composite | 5074.06 | 72.75 | 1.45 |
KLSE Composite | 1839.55 | 13.87 | 0.76 |
Nikkei 225 | 15,553.91 | 224.00 | 1.46 |
Straits Times | 3224.03 | 12.38 | 0.39 |
KOSPI Composite | 1961.17 | 35.49 | 1.84 |
Taiwan Weighted | 8903.68 | 130.13 | 1.48 |