Asian stock markets ended mixed on Wednesday ahead of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's speech to international central bankers gathering in Jackson Hole on Friday and European Central Bank’s meeting next week. The Conference Board's consumer confidence data Tuesday showed that the index fell to its lowest level since November 2011, which also added pressure on Bernanke to give some indication of a further round of quantitative easing during his speech. Hong Kong shares fell on Wednesday, dragged down by a 4.2% loss of foodmaker Want Want China, which was heavily traded on a turnover day. Japanese shares ended higher, with Renesas Electronics Corp surging 35% on the news that U.S. private equity fund KKR & Co plans to invest around $1.3 billion in the struggling chipmaker, while Shanghai declined to a three and half year low.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2,053.23 | -19.92 | -0.96 |
Hang Seng | 19,788.51 | -23.29 | -0.12 |
Jakarta Composite | 4,093.17 | -49.68 | -1.20 |
KLSE Composite | 1,645.58 | -1.53 | -0.09 |
Nikkei 225 | 9,069.81 | 36.52 | 0.40 |
Straits Times | 3,041.57 | 1.50 | 0.05 |
KOSPI Composite | 1,928.54 | 12.21 | 0.64 |
Taiwan Weighted | 7,391.15 | 29.21 | 0.40 |