Asian markets ended mostly higher on Wednesday on growing expectations the United States and China are nearing an agreement to scale back their bruising trade war. US President Donald Trump declared Tuesday that talk with China on the first phase of a trade deal were near completion after negotiators from both sides spoke by phone, signaling progress on an accord in the works for nearly two years. Though, Chinese shares ended lower after the data showed profits at China's industrial firms declined in annual terms for the third consecutive month in October. China's industrial profits decreased 9.9 percent in October year-on-year to 427.56 billion yuan ($60.74 billion), marking the biggest drop since January-February period and compared with a 5.3 percent decline in September.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2,903.19 | -3.87 | -0.13 |
Hang Seng | 26,954.00 | 40.08 | 0.15 |
Jakarta Composite | 6,023.04 | -3.15 | -0.05 |
KLSE Composite | 1,587.18 | 3.31 | 0.21 |
Nikkei 225 | 23,437.77 | 64.45 | 0.28 |
Straits Times | 3,215.53 | 7.68 | 0.24 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,127.85 | 6.50 | 0.31 |
Taiwan Weighted | 11,647.46 | 70.64 | 0.61 |
