Asian markets end mostly higher on Monday

18 May 2020 Evaluate

Asian markets ended mostly higher on Monday as oil prices climbed to their highest in more than a month due to optimism about a gradual reopening of businesses around the world. Market sentiment were improved further by comments from US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell who said the economy stateside may need a corona virus vaccine to fully recover and a jump in US stock index futures. Chinese shares ended higher after data showed home prices rose in April outweighed renewed Sino-US trade war tensions and the threat of a second wave of corona virus infections. Japanese shares ended up on signs of a slowdown in corona virus infections in the country that raised optimism that the government would soon ease restrictions. Investors, meanwhile, shrugged off data showing that the Japanese economy slipped into a recession in the first quarter.

Asian Indices

Last Trade           

Change in Points

Change in %

Shanghai Composite

2,875.42
6.96
0.24

Hang Seng

23,934.77
137.30
0.58

Jakarta Composite

4,511.06
3.45
0.08

KLSE Composite

1,410.16

6.72

0.48

Nikkei 225

20,133.73
96.26
0.48

Straits Times

2,539.28
15.73
0.62

KOSPI Composite

1,937.11
9.83
0.51

Taiwan Weighted

10,740.55
-74.37
-0.69

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