Most of the Asian equity benchmarks are trading in green in the early deals on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve affirmed it would be patient on further interest rate hikes and as China-US trade talks hinted of progress towards a deal in their tariff war. Chinese stocks rose as signs of progress emerged in ongoing trade talks between the Sino and China, raising investor hopes of a trade war detente, and as China's premier reiterated a commitment to prudent monetary policy. Among the other Asian markets, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, South Korea, and Shanghai are higher. Bucking the trend, Malaysia is lower.
Nikkei 225 rose 104.15 points or 0.49% to 21,535.64, Hang Seng spurt 150.06 points or 0.53% to 28,664.11, Taiwan Weighted gained 26.73 points or 0.26% to 10,299.19, Straits Times added 3.33 points or 0.10% to 3,281.71, Jakarta Composite jumped 5.59 points or 0.09% to 6,518.37, KOSPI Shares increased 0.08 points to 2,229.84, and Shanghai Composite up by 10.06 points or 0.36% to 2,771.28.
On the flip side, FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI down by 2.73 points or 0.16% to 1,723.45.
