Asian equity markets ended mostly lower on Monday as geopolitical tensions persisted and elections in Germany and New Zealand set the stage for periods of political uncertainty. Chinese stocks fell as developers slumped after a new round of government curbs to rein in the heated housing market. Meanwhile, Hong Kong stocks posted their biggest one-day loss in six weeks, with a slump in property shares hitting already fragile sentiment after the Federal Reserve’s hawkish stance and Standard & Poor’s downgrade of China’s credit rating last week. Seoul shares fell amid selling by foreign investors following a week of heated rhetoric between the leaders of the US and North Korea. Though, Japan’s Nikkei share average rose as a weaker yen lifted exporters, while expectations of economic stimulus measures after an election next month supported overall sentiment.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,341.55 | -10.98 | -0.33 |
Hang Seng | 27,500.34 | -380.19 | -1.36 |
Jakarta Composite | 5,894.61 | -17.1 | -0.29 |
KLSE Composite | 1,769.14 | -1.9 | -0.11 |
Nikkei 225 | 20,397.58 | 101.13 | 0.5 |
Straits Times | 3,215.91 | -4.34 | -0.13 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,380.40 | -8.31 | -0.35 |
Taiwan Weighted | 10,335.89 | -113.79 | -1.09 |