Asian equity markets ended mostly in green on Wednesday as investors remained optimistic about China's ongoing economic transition and looked ahead to policy statements from the European and Japanese central banks, due Thursday. The dollar stayed on the defensive on doubts over US President Donald Trump's ability to deliver tax reforms, while oil prices pulled back slightly on industry data showing a rise in US crude inventories. Chinese shares ended higher as investors piled into banking, consumer and resources shares after robust economic growth data earlier in the week and on expectations that Beijing is stepping up efforts to reform lumbering and inefficient state companies. Japanese shares closed marginally higher in choppy trade, with buying in defensive stocks offsetting worries about the impact of a stronger yen as the US dollar flounders.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,230.98 | 43.41 | 1.36 |
Hang Seng | 26,672.16 | 147.22 | 0.56 |
Jakarta Composite | 5,806.69 | -15.66 | -0.27 |
KLSE Composite | 1,757.27 | 2.35 | 0.13 |
Nikkei 225 | 20,020.86 | 20.95 | 0.10 |
Straits Times | 3,325.07 | 18.99 | 0.57 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,429.94 | 3.90 | 0.16 |
Taiwan Weighted | 10,506.10 | 24.84 | 0.24 |