Asian markets trade mostly lower in early deals on Friday

07 Aug 2020 Evaluate

Most of the Asian equity benchmarks are trading lower on Friday, with the risk aversion in the market and surge in safe haven gold investments amid pandemic stricken waning global economy and on intensified Sino-US tensions. The US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to ban transactions with TikTok's parent company Byte Dance, and also signed another order prohibiting transactions related to WeChat, dulling the sentiments. Moreover, cautious outlook ahead the release of key US jobs data due tonight also contracted stock market investments. The unemployment rate is expected to dip to 10.5% from 11.1%. China's Shanghai Composite index subdued in the session after a high-powered US panel recommended tightening the disclosure requirements for Chinese companies listed on American exchanges. Japan's Nikkei is continuing negative trend with the heightened coronavirus-induced restrictions and with the stronger safe haven yen. Among the Asian markets, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, China, Indonesia, and Malaysia are in negative territory. Bucking the trend, South Korea is advancing.

Nikkei 225 down by 160.18 points, 0.71% to 22,257.97, Straits Times decreased by 25.49 points or 1.00% to 2,533.61, Hang Seng slipped by 546.44 points or 2.19% to 24,384.14, Taiwan Weighted narrowed 87.20 points or 0.68% to 12,826.30, Jakarta Composite lower by 54.95 points, 1.06% to 5,123.32, Shanghai dipped by 68.68 points or 2.03% to 3,317.78, and FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI decreased 4.37 points or 0.28% to 1,584.20.

On the flip side, KOSPI Index up by 0.60 points or 0.03% to 2,343.21.

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