Asian markets ended mixed on Monday as trade worries persisted and investors digested weak data from China and Japan. China's official manufacturing purchasing managers index stood at 50.8 in September versus 51.3 in August, raising concerns about the demand outlook. The Caixin manufacturing PMI declined to 50 from 50.6, the lowest since May 2017. While, a key quarterly economic survey by the Bank of Japan showed that business confidence among large Japanese manufacturers declined for the third straight quarter. Separately, the latest survey from Nikkei revealed that the manufacturing sector in Japan continued to expand at a steady pace in September, with a manufacturing PMI score of 52.5, unchanged from the previous month. However, Japanese shares ended higher on earnings optimism, and as the yen extended its weakening trend on news of a new agreement between the US and Canada to replace NAFTA. Markets in China and Hong Kong were closed for holidays.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | - | - | - |
Hang Seng | - | - | - |
Jakarta Composite | 5,944.60 | -31.95 | -0.54 |
KLSE Composite | 1,792.46 | -0.69 | -0.04 |
Nikkei 225 | 24,245.76 | 125.72 | 0.52 |
Straits Times | 3,255.46 | -1.59 | -0.05 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,338.88 | -4.19 | -0.18 |
Taiwan Weighted | 11,051.80 | 45.46 | 0.41 |
