Asian equity markets ended mostly higher on Monday as signs the United States and North Korea were still working towards holding a summit helped investors shrug off falling commodity prices. Japanese shares ended marginally higher amid positive developments from the Korean Peninsula. Though, Chinese shares fluctuated before closing slightly lower even as a government report showed China's industrial profit growth quickened markedly in April. Chinese industrial profits surged 21.9 percent year-over-year in April, well above the 3.1 percent increase in March. In the first four months of this year, industrial profits advanced 15.0 percent annually compared with an 11.6 percent rise in the first three months.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,135.08 | -6.22 | -0.20 |
Hang Seng | 30,792.26 | 204.22 | 0.67 |
Jakarta Composite | 6,068.33 | 92.58 | 1.55 |
KLSE Composite | 1,775.84 | -21.56 | -1.20 |
Nikkei 225 | 22,481.09 | 30.30 | 0.13 |
Straits Times | 3,518.48 | 5.25 | 0.15 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,478.96 | 18.16 | 0.74 |
Taiwan Weighted | 10,987.77 | 45.47 | 0.42 |
