Asian markets ended lower on Friday. Japanese shares declined by tracking lackluster cues overnight from Wall Street after reports that Gilead Sciences' experimental corona virus drug remdesivir flopped in its first randomized clinical trial. Traders also considered the implications of a Nikkei report that the Bank of Japan may replace its government bond-purchase target to allow unlimited buying. Further, Chinese shares ended lower amid lingering corona virus worries, but some losses were limited as Chinese central bank (PBOC) cut the interest rate on its targeted medium-term lending facility to support the world's second-largest economy.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2,808.53 | -29.97 | -1.06 |
Hang Seng | 23,831.33 | -145.99 | -0.61 |
Jakarta Composite | 4,496.06 | -97.49 | -2.12 |
KLSE Composite | 1,369.85 | -11.79 | -0.85 |
Nikkei 225 | 19,262.00 | -167.44 | -0.86 |
Straits Times | 2,518.16 | -24.21 | -0.95 |
KOSPI Composite | 1,889.01 | -25.72 | -1.34 |
Taiwan Weighted | 10,347.36 | -19.15 | -0.18 |
