Asian markets ended mostly higher on Friday as signs of the gradual reopening of businesses across the globe, including the United States outweighed renewed worries over Sino-US trade relations. Market sentiment improved further after China reported upbeat economic data, which showing its economy is gradually recovering from the shock of the corona virus outbreak. Industrial production in China was up 3.9 percent year-on-year year in April. That exceeded expectations for an increase of 1.5 percent following the 1.1 percent decline in March. Japanese shares ended marginally higher, supported by the Japanese government’s lifting of the state of emergency over the corona virus pandemic in 39 of the country’s 47 prefectures, while Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said there is no need to cut interest rates deeper into negative zone now.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2,868.46 | -1.88 | -0.07 |
Hang Seng | 23,797.47 | -32.27 | -0.14 |
Jakarta Composite | 4,507.61 | -6.22 | -0.14 |
KLSE Composite | 1,403.44 | 6.19 | 0.44 |
Nikkei 225 | 20,037.47 | 122.69 | 0.62 |
Straits Times | 2,523.55 | 1.24 | 0.05 |
KOSPI Composite | 1,927.28 | 2.32 | 0.12 |
Taiwan Weighted | 10,814.92 | 34.04 | 0.32 |
