Asian markets ended mostly higher on Friday, tracking modest gains at Wall Street overnight as fresh fiscal stimulus hopes boosted risk appetite. Investors remained focused on the latest developments concerning a public spat between the US Treasury and Federal Reserve over emergency lending facilities and the resumption of US fiscal aid talks. Meanwhile, US Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer said that the Covid-19 vaccine developed in partnership with BioNTech was found to be 95% effective in the final analysis of the phase 3 trial too supported market sentiment. Although, surging corona virus cases and chances of fresh restrictions in the United States kept the market under pressure. Japanese shares ended lower after the Tokyo Metropolitan Government raised its virus alert status to its fourth and highest level after daily corona virus cases in Japan hit another record high on Thursday.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,377.73 | 14.64 | 0.44 |
Hang Seng | 26,451.54 | 94.57 | 0.36 |
Jakarta Composite | 5,571.66 | -22.40 | -0.40 |
KLSE Composite | 1,593.75 | 10.07 | 0.64 |
Nikkei 225 | 25,527.37 | -106.97 | -0.42 |
Straits Times | 2,813.01 | 36.01 | 1.30 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,553.50 | 6.08 | 0.24 |
Taiwan Weighted | 13,716.44 | -5.99 | -0.04 |
