Asian equity markets ended mostly higher on Thursday as gains in oil prices and positive cues from overseas markets outweighed concerns about a slowdown in Chinese growth and prospects of higher interest rates in the US. The yen saw a sudden spike on the eve of G7 summit talks, with leaders of the world's seven major industrial democracies expected to promote monetary, fiscal and structural policies to spur growth in their communique, when the summit ends on Friday. Also, Fed Chair Janet Yellen speaks Friday on the economy at Harvard and her comments could provide further clues about whether the central bank would raise interest rates in June. Chinese shares closed higher to snap a two-day losing streak after falling to 2-1/2 month lows in early trade on growing worries that the economy is losing momentum. The combined profits of China's non-financial state-owned enterprises fell an annual 8.4 percent in the first four months of this year, highlighting the policy changes facing Beijing as it goes through a full-scale economic transformation. Japanese shares ended flat as an early rally fizzled out amid the yen's strength.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | 2,822.44 | 7.36 | 0.26 |
| Hang Seng | 20,397.11 | 29.06 | 0.14 |
| Jakarta Composite | 4,784.56 | 11.59 | 0.24 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,631.09 | 0.13 | 0.01 |
| Nikkei 225 | 16,772.46 | 15.11 | 0.09 |
| Straits Times | 2,773.31 | 6.65 | 0.24 |
| KOSPI Composite | 1,957.06 | -3.45 | -0.18 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 8,394.12 | -2.08 | -0.02 |