Asian markets end higher on Friday

17 Jan 2020 Evaluate

Asian markets ended up on Friday as investors cheered by Chinese data that suggested the world's second- largest economy was stabilizing. Chinese shares ended marginally higher after data showed that the world's second-largest economy grew 6.0 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019 from a year earlier. Chinese economy grew an annual 6.1 percent in 2019, the slowest in 29 years but still within the government's target of 6-6.5 percent. In response to the lower growth rate, Beijing is widely expected to introduce more stimulus measures in this year. Further, data showed growth in industrial production accelerated unexpectedly to 6.9 percent in December from 6.2 percent in November. The rate was expected to ease to 5.9 percent. Retail sales expanded 8 percent annually, as seen in November, and slightly faster than the expected rate of 7.9 percent. In the year-to-date period, fixed asset investment was up 5.4 percent versus the expected rate of 5.2 percent. Moreover, Japanese shares closed higher as a softer yen boosted exporters' shares.

Asian Indices

Last Trade           

Change in Points

Change in %

Shanghai Composite

3,075.50
1.41
0.05

Hang Seng

29,056.42
173.38
0.60

Jakarta Composite

6,291.66
5.61
0.09

KLSE Composite

1,595.81

7.93

0.50

Nikkei 225

24,041.26
108.13
0.45

Straits Times

3,281.03
3.03
0.09

KOSPI Composite

2,250.57
2.52
0.11

Taiwan Weighted

12,090.29
23.36
0.19

 

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