Asian markets ended mostly in red on Thursday, with Japanese stock rising as yen fell to a seven-year low against the dollar after minutes of the Federal Reserve highlighted a divergence in global monetary policy. In China, the flow of data was again disappointing as an early reading on HSBC/Markit’s manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showed a drop to a six-month low of 50.0 in November, from 50.4 in October. A cooling property sector, erratic foreign demand and overcapacity have weighed on its manufacturers and the broader economy this year despite a steady stream of stimulus measures. China’s annual growth slowed to 7.3% in the third quarter, leaving 2014 on track to be slowest in 24 years. Japanese exports grew in October at the fastest pace in eight months, an encouraging sign that global demand could help the country recover from recession and support the central bank’s optimistic economic outlook. The 9.6% annual rise in exports in October was more than double the 4.5% gain expected. Japan’s trade balance rose to a seasonally adjusted -0.98T, from -1.07T in the preceding month. In another sign that the world’s third-largest economy is regaining its footing, a private flash survey showed that factory output grew in November at the fastest pace since March.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2452.66 | 1.67 | 0.07 |
Hang Seng | 23349.64 | -23.67 | -0.10 |
Jakarta Composite | 5093.57 | -34.37 | -0.67 |
KLSE Composite | 1822.29 | -2.10 | -0.12 |
Nikkei 225 | 17300.86 | 12.11 | 0.07 |
Straits Times | 3315.60 | -18.96 | -0.57 |
KOSPI Composite | 1958.04 | -8.83 | -0.45 |
Taiwan Weighted | 9078.87 | 115.63 | 1.29 |