Most of the Asian markets traded lower on Thursday, with investors cautious ahead of a deadline when tariffs from the US and China are due to be implemented. Meanwhile, China's Shanghai Composite index is lower despite the yuan holding onto overnight gains following verbal intervention by the People's Bank of China. Among the other Asian markets, Nikkei, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia are lower. Bucking the trend, Singapore is higher.
Nikkei 225 dropped 190.32 points or 0.88% to 21,526.72, Hang Seng dipped 246.59 points or 0.88% to 27,995.08, Taiwan Weighted slipped 92.40 points or 0.87% to 10,629.47, KOSPI Index contracted 14.17 points or 0.63% to 2,251.29, Shanghai Composite declined 24.36 points or 0.89% to 2,734.77, FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI crumbled 1.15 points or 0.07% to 1,687.30, and Jakarta Composite down by 19.67 points or 0.34% to 5,713.97.
On the flip side, Straits Times up by 1.91 points or 0.06% to 3,246.80.
