Asian Markets ended mostly higher on Friday, tracking Wall Street gains overnight despite worries about surging corona virus pandemic cases globally. Further, hopes for new economic stimulus in the United States with encouraging housing data too supported market sentiment. New home sales occurred at a seasonally-adjusted, annual rate of 1.011 million, the Census Bureau reported . That represents a 4.8% increase from an upwardly-revised pace of 965,000 homes in July. Compared with last year, new home sales are up 43%. US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that the new economic relief package could help households and businesses. Reports showed that US Democrats are drafting a new $2.4 trillion relief bill, aimed at resuming the stalled stimulus talks with Republicans. Shanghai shares fluctuated before settling tad lower amid worries over resurgence of covid-19 cases globally.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,219.42 | -3.76 | -0.12 |
Hang Seng | 23,235.42 | -75.65 | -0.32 |
Jakarta Composite | 4,945.79 | 103.03 | 2.13 |
KLSE Composite | 1,509.14 | 8.34 | 0.56 |
Nikkei 225 | 23,204.62 | 116.80 | 0.51 |
Straits Times | 2,472.28 | 21.46 | 0.88 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,278.79 | 6.09 | 0.27 |
Taiwan Weighted | 12,232.91 | -31.47 | -0.26 |
