Asian markets ended mixed on Wednesday on optimism that US lawmakers could reach an agreement on a stimulus package before US election day. The market sentiments improved on reports that Moderna's CEO Stephane Bancel expects interim results from the firm's Covid-19 vaccine trial in November and that the US government could give an emergency use nod in December. Further, AstraZeneca Plc's Covid-19 vaccine trial in the United States is expected to resume as early as this week. Chinese shares ended marginally lower despite growing optimism about China’s economic recovery from virus outbreak, while the Chinese yuan surged to its strongest level against the dollar in more than two years.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,325.02 | -3.08 | -0.09 |
Hang Seng | 24,754.42 | 184.88 | 0.75 |
Jakarta Composite | 5,096.45 | -3.39 | -0.07 |
KLSE Composite | 1,492.40 | -18.57 | -1.23 |
Nikkei 225 | 23,639.46 | 72.42 | 0.31 |
Straits Times | 2,525.61 | -3.03 | -0.12 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,370.86 | 12.45 | 0.53 |
Taiwan Weighted | 12,877.25 | 14.88 | 0.12 |
