Asian equity markets ended mostly higher on Wednesday, with Hong Kong leading the gains, inspired by solid overnight gains in US and European markets even as upbeat US housing data fueled speculation the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates in June or July. US new-home sales in April surged to the highest level in more than eight years. Investor sentiment was buoyed by gains in oil prices, easing Brexit worries and news of a ‘major breakthrough’ in talks between Eurozone finance ministers and Greece to unlock 10.3 billion euros ($12 billion) in new bailout loans as well as debt relief for Athens as demanded by the IMF. Japanese shares hit their highest level in nearly a month, thanks to a weaker yen and hopes that the government would delay an April sales tax hike. However, Chinese shares gave up early gains to end a tad lower on worries about fresh capital outflows, as the yuan dropped to a fresh 10-week low against the US dollar on fears of a possible US rate hike next month.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | 2,815.09 | -6.58 | -0.23 |
| Hang Seng | 20,368.05 | 537.62 | 2.71 |
| Jakarta Composite | 4,772.98 | 62.19 | 1.32 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,630.96 | 5.12 | 0.31 |
| Nikkei 225 | 16,757.35 | 258.59 | 1.57 |
| Straits Times | 2,766.66 | 16.43 | 0.60 |
| KOSPI Composite | 1,960.51 | 22.83 | 1.18 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 8,396.20 | 95.54 | 1.15 |