Asian markets ended mostly in green on Friday, followed their US peers higher as news of robust US economic growth and remarks from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell that the central bank's gradual interest-rate increases are helping sustain the economic expansion bolstered investor’ optimism about the world's largest economy. Chinese shares ended higher amid expectations for stimulus and on hopes that more Chinese shares will be included in mainstream global benchmarks. Further, Japanese shares ended higher on hopes for continued corporate earnings growth. Export-oriented stocks surging as the dollar hit a nine-month high versus the yen after the release of upbeat US data, too supported Japanese shares.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2,821.35 | 29.58 | 1.05 |
Hang Seng | 27,788.52 | 72.85 | 0.26 |
Jakarta Composite | 5,976.55 | 47.33 | 0.79 |
KLSE Composite | 1,793.15 | -5.49 | -0.31 |
Nikkei 225 | 24,120.04 | 323.30 | 1.34 |
Straits Times | 3,257.05 | 20.79 | 0.64 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,343.07 | -12.36 | -0.53 |
Taiwan Weighted | 11,006.34 | -27.85 | -0.25 |
