Asian markets ended mostly higher on Friday as positive US data and optimism over a potential US-China trade deal helped offset growth worries to some extent. Japanese shares settled at four-month high as investors braced for earnings and an upcoming 10-day holiday in Japan. Meanwhile, Chinese shares ended flat, as better-than-expected exports brought some relief to investors looking for signs of stabilization in the world’s second-largest economy. Chinese trade data proved to be a mixed bag, with exports rebounding to a five-month high while imports fell more than expected. Official data showed that China's exports rose 14.2 percent in March from a year earlier, beating expectations and marking the strongest growth in five months. Imports dropped an annual 7.6 percent, worse than forecasts for a 1.3 percent fall and widening from February's 5.2 percent fall.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,188.63 | -1.33 | -0.04 |
Hang Seng | 29,909.76 | 70.31 | 0.24 |
Jakarta Composite | 6,405.87 | -4.30 | -0.07 |
KLSE Composite | 1,630.17 | 5.94 | 0.37 |
Nikkei 225 | 21,870.56 | 159.18 | 0.73 |
Straits Times | 3,331.98 | 1.16 | 0.03 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,233.45 | 9.01 | 0.41 |
Taiwan Weighted | 10,805.30 | -3.47 | -0.03 |
