Asian markets end mostly lower on Thursday

21 May 2020 Evaluate

Asian markets ended mostly lower on Thursday as worries of Sino-US tensions kept investors' risk appetite in check. Chinese shares ended lower ahead of the country's postponed annual session of its parliament starting the next day, and after reports that US regulators are open to making changes to close a possible loophole in a new rule aimed at curbing global chip sales to Chinese firm Huawei Technologies. Further, Japanese shares ended lower, despite optimism about a state of emergency being lifted in western Japan later today. Meanwhile, investors also digested a slew of weak economic data. The manufacturing sector in Japan continued to contract in May, and at a faster pace, the latest survey from Jibun Bank revealed with a manufacturing PMI score of 31.7, down from 34.7 in April. The report also showed that the services PMI improved to 25.3 in May, up from the record low 21.5 in April but still well below the line for expansion. In April, exports declined by more than 21.9% while imports declined by more than 7.2%.

Asian Indices

Last Trade           

Change in Points

Change in %

Shanghai Composite

2,867.92
-15.82
-0.55

Hang Seng

24,280.03
-119.92
-0.49

Jakarta Composite

4,545.95
-2.71
-0.06

KLSE Composite

1,452.11

16.99

1.18

Nikkei 225

20,552.31
-42.84
-0.21

Straits Times

2,555.34
-6.60
-0.26

KOSPI Composite

1,998.31
8.67
0.44

Taiwan Weighted

11,008.31
100.51
0.92

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