Asian markets ended mostly higher on Wednesday on expectations that Britain still has a chance of avoiding a messy exit from the European Union. Upbeat earnings results from major US companies too buoyed market sentiment. Hong Kong shares ended higher despite signs of fresh Sino-US tensions over Hong Kong after its Chief Executive, Carrie Lam said the city has slipped into a technical recession since a series of protests began in June. Japanese shares closed higher after weaker yen lifted bluechip exporters, while chipmaking-related stocks advanced following their US peers higher. Japanese shares improved further, according to assessments from regions across Japan, Bank of Japan said that all nine regions across Japan had been either expanding or recovering. Moreover, South Korean shares ended up as the country's central bank lowered its key interest rate, as expected, and left the door open for further easing owing to the continued Sino-US trade disputes and escalating geopolitical risks. However, Chinese shares ended lower on worries that the phase one trade deal could be unravelling.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2,978.71 | -12.34 | -0.41 |
Hang Seng | 26,664.28 | 160.35 | 0.61 |
Jakarta Composite | 6,169.59 | 11.42 | 0.19 |
KLSE Composite | 1,574.90 | 8.67 | 0.55 |
Nikkei 225 | 22,472.92 | 265.71 | 1.20 |
Straits Times | 3,137.41 | 21.24 | 0.68 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,082.83 | 14.66 | 0.71 |
Taiwan Weighted | 11,162.83 | 51.03 | 0.46 |
