Asian shares ended mostly higher on Friday, supported by signs that the US and China are set to resume trade talks in September. China's commerce ministry said on Thursday Beijing and Washington were discussing the next round of face-to-face talks scheduled for September, but added it was important for Washington to cancel a tariff increase. US President Trump also said some discussions were taking place on Thursday, ahead of a looming deadline for additional US tariffs on September 1. Japanese shares ended higher as the yen weakened following positive developments in the in the Sino-US trade war and investors digested a raft of mixed local economic data. Reports showed Industrial production in Japan rose a seasonally adjusted 1.3% sequentially in July, and beats forecasts for a 0.3% gain following the 3.3% drop in June. Japan's retail trade declined 2.3% in the month, and the jobless rate dipped to its lowest level in 27 years while overall consumer prices in the Tokyo region were up 0.6% year on year in August. Chinese shares ended down amid the ongoing mass protests in Hong Kong calling for political freedom and self-determination for the semi-autonomous territory, while investors awaited manufacturing data for directional cues.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2,886.24 | -4.68 | -0.16 |
Hang Seng | 25,724.73 | 21.23 | 0.08 |
Jakarta Composite | 6,328.47 | 39.35 | 0.63 |
KLSE Composite | 1,612.14 | 16.96 | 1.06 |
Nikkei 225 | 20,704.37 | 243.44 | 1.19 |
Straits Times | 3,106.52 | 24.69 | 0.80 |
KOSPI Composite | 1,967.79 | 34.38 | 1.78 |
Taiwan Weighted | 10,618.05 | 155.62 | 1.49 |
