Asian equity markets ended mostly higher on Wednesday after solid earnings reports from heavyweights Caterpillar and 3M as well as promises of tax reform from the Trump administration helped the Dow Jones Industrial Average post its biggest gain in more than a month overnight. Chinese shares ended higher as investors awaited the announcement by Chinese President Xi Jinping later in the day of new members of the Politburo Standing Committee, the country's supreme political body. Meanwhile, Japanese shares snapped a 16-day winning streak as investors cashed in on recent gains, although higher US yields supported financial stocks.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,396.90 | 8.65 | 0.26 |
Hang Seng | 28,302.89 | 147.92 | 0.53 |
Jakarta Composite | 6,025.43 | 73.36 | 1.23 |
KLSE Composite | 1,739.05 | 2.91 | 0.17 |
Nikkei 225 | 21,707.62 | -97.55 | -0.45 |
Straits Times | 3,343.88 | 9.21 | 0.28 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,492.50 | 2.01 | 0.08 |
Taiwan Weighted | 10,750.57 | 6.79 | 0.06 |