Asian markets ended mostly higher on Wednesday amid hopes that China will increase economic stimulus to soften the blow of the higher US tariffs. Japanese shares ended higher as the yen slipped against its key counterparts and the Bank of Japan kept its ultra-loose monetary policy unchanged, as widely expected. Positive trade balance data also boosted sentiments. Japan posted a 444.594 billion yen trade deficit in August, the Ministry of Finance said. That beat forecasts for a shortfall of 483.2 billion yen following the 231.9 billion yen deficit in July. Exports climbed 6.6 percent on year to 6.691 trillion yen - exceeding expectations for 5.2 percent and up from 3.9 percent in the previous month. Imports jumped an annual 15.4 percent to 7.136 trillion yen versus forecasts for 14.5 percent and up from 14.6 percent a month earlier.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2,730.85 | 30.90 | 1.13 |
Hang Seng | 27,407.37 | 322.71 | 1.18 |
Jakarta Composite | 5,873.60 | 61.81 | 1.05 |
KLSE Composite | 1,800.71 | 7.77 | 0.43 |
Nikkei 225 | 23,672.52 | 251.98 | 1.06 |
Straits Times | 3,176.57 | 37.23 | 1.17 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,308.46 | -0.52 | -0.02 |
Taiwan Weighted | 10,857.27 | 97.06 | 0.89 |
