Asian markets ended mostly higher on Thursday on expectations that governments would roll out more stimulus measures amid optimism that corona virus infections around the world are nearing a peak. Oil prices are rising ahead of a meeting of major global oil producers on expectations that they will agree production cuts to counter the slump in demand caused by corona virus lockdowns. Chinese shares ended up as Wuhan, the Chinese city where the outbreak was first recorded late last year, returned to normalcy following the easing of lockdown restrictions in the city. Though, Japanese shares finished marginally lower on worries about the impact of the corona virus pandemic on corporate Japan's earnings. Japan recorded 503 new corona virus infections on Wednesday, its biggest daily increase since the outbreak.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2,825.90 | 10.53 | 0.37 |
Hang Seng | 24,300.33 | 329.96 | 1.38 |
Jakarta Composite | 4,649.08 | 22.38 | 0.48 |
KLSE Composite | 1,369.76 | 8.37 | 0.61 |
Nikkei 225 | 19,345.77 | -7.47 | -0.04 |
Straits Times | 2,571.32 | 31.88 | 1.26 |
KOSPI Composite | 1,836.21 | 29.07 | 1.61 |
Taiwan Weighted | 10,119.43 | -18.04 | -0.18 |
