Asian equity markets ended mostly higher on Friday. Japanese shares shrugged off a weak start to end modestly higher as the dollar regained its footing against the yen after sliding in early trading. Meanwhile, North Korea's latest missile launch over the Japanese archipelago earlier in the day stirred new worries and stronger-than-expected US inflation data stoked expectations of another Fed rate hike this year. Japan's PM Shinzo Abe said his country would ‘never tolerate’ North Korea's dangerous actions. Rex Tillerson, US secretary of state, said that these continued provocations only deepen North Korea's diplomatic and economic isolation. Chinese shares ended lower as a slew of soft data suggested the world’s second-largest economy is starting to lose some momentum in the face of rising borrowing costs and government-mandated capacity cuts.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,353.62 | -17.81 | -0.53 |
Hang Seng | 27,807.59 | 30.39 | 0.11 |
Jakarta Composite | 5,872.39 | 20.39 | 0.35 |
KLSE Composite | 1,786.33 | 4.96 | 0.28 |
Nikkei 225 | 19,909.50 | 102.06 | 0.52 |
Straits Times | 3,209.56 | -11.39 | -0.35 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,386.07 | 8.41 | 0.35 |
Taiwan Weighted | 10,580.41 | 26.84 | 0.25 |