The Asian markets closed mixed on Monday, with Chinese markets touching fresh multi-year highs in early trades. Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda stated that he told Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that inflation is slowing due to a decline in oil prices but there is no change in the long-term rising trend for consumer prices as the economy improves. Kuroda added that he also told Abe that the economy remains on a gradual recovery path. The meeting occurred at a time when slowing inflation is testing the BOJ’s ability to meet its 2 percent consumer price growth target, and raising questions about whether additional monetary easing is needed later this year to keep prices on track. Taiwanese Industrial Production fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.32%, from 8.14% in the preceding month.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,687.73 | 70.41 | 1.95 |
Hang Seng | 24,494.51 | 119.27 | 0.49 |
Jakarta Composite | 5,437.10 | -5.97 | -0.11 |
KLSE Composite | 1,795.85 | -7.80 | -0.43 |
Nikkei 225 | 19,754.36 | 194.14 | 0.99 |
Straits Times | 3,410.13 | -2.31 | -0.07 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,036.59 | -0.65 | -0.03 |
Taiwan Weighted | 9,758.09 | 8.40 | 0.09 |