Asian markets ended mostly lower on Thursday as China's official death toll from the new corona virus spiked dramatically after authorities changed their counting methods, fuelling concern the epidemic is far worse than being reported. Health officials in China's hard-hit central province of Hubei reported that 242 more people died from the corona virus as of Wednesday - the highest in a single day and more than twice the previous record high - pushing the death toll across the country to 1,355. There was also a huge increase in the number of cases, with 14,840 people diagnosed with the virus. Further, Japanese shares ended lower as the safe-haven yen firmed against the dollar.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2,906.07 | -20.83 | -0.71 |
Hang Seng | 27,730.00 | -93.66 | -0.34 |
Jakarta Composite | 5,871.95 | -41.13 | -0.70 |
KLSE Composite | 1,539.16 | -3.78 | -0.24 |
Nikkei 225 | 23,827.73 | -33.48 | -0.14 |
Straits Times | 3,220.09 | -3.28 | -0.10 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,232.96 | -5.42 | -0.24 |
Taiwan Weighted | 11,791.78 | 17.59 | 0.15 |
