The Asian equity markets ended mostly in red on Monday, as geopolitical tensions flared up again, with U.S. president Donald Trump weighing new economic sanctions that could target China after a nuclear test Sunday by North Korea. The White House warned any nation doing business with Kim Jong Un’s regime would be met with economic sanctions and trade embargoes. The Japanese market was one of the biggest losers amid broad-based selling, down by around a percent as the yen strengthened against dollar on renewed geopolitical tensions and after the release of disappointing U.S. jobs report. Straits Times too sagged upon return from a long Hari Raya weekend, in the wake of Pyongyang's surprise nuclear test. The Chinese market though managed to make a modestly positive close ahead of key economic data later this week, as optimism about the economy helped investors shrug off heightened geopolitical tensions.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,379.58 | 12.46 | 0.37 |
Hang Seng | 27,740.26 | -212.90 | -0.76 |
Jakarta Composite | 5,813.74 | -50.32 | -0.86 |
KLSE Composite | 1,773.16 | 12.02 | 0.68 |
Nikkei 225 | 19,508.25 | -183.22 | -0.93 |
Straits Times | 3,230.97 | -46.29 | -1.41 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,329.65 | -28.04 | -1.19 |
Taiwan Weighted | 10,569.87 | -24.95 | -0.24 |