Asian markets ended mixed on Wednesday, despite strong Wall Street gains overnight after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the US central bank is committed to helping the economy. Japanese shares ended lower as traders returned to their desks after a long weekend, with concerns over surging corona virus pandemic infections in Europe and a delay in US fiscal stimulus. The latest survey from Jibun Bank revealed that the manufacturing sector in Japan continued to contract in September, albeit at a barely slower pace, with a manufacturing PMI score of 47.3. However, Chinese shares ended higher on gains in healthcare shares after the state planner said the country would accelerate development of corona virus vaccine innovation, diagnostic, testing reagents and antibody drugs.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,279.71 | 5.41 | 0.17 |
Hang Seng | 23,742.51 | 25.66 | 0.11 |
Jakarta Composite | 4,917.96 | -16.13 | -0.33 |
KLSE Composite | 1,496.48 | -9.30 | -0.62 |
Nikkei 225 | 23,346.49 | -13.81 | -0.06 |
Straits Times | 2,481.14 | 17.85 | 0.72 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,333.24 | 0.65 | 0.03 |
Taiwan Weighted | 12,583.88 | -61.63 | -0.49 |
