Asian markets ended mostly higher on Wednesday ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration as US President. Also, market sentiments improved following optimism that faster rollout of corona virus vaccines and large-scale fiscal stimulus would eventually lift global economic growth. US Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen called for big action on the Covid-19 pandemic and economic crisis at her Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday. Chinese shares finished higher as the country's central bank left its benchmark lending rates unchanged, as widely expected. The one-year loan prime rate was retained at 3.85 percent and the five-year loan prime rate was maintained at 4.65 percent. However, Japanese shares retreated as the US dollar slipped against the yen, while growing concerns about surging corona virus cases too added pressure on Japanese markets.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,583.09 | 16.71 | 0.47 |
Hang Seng | 29,962.47 | 320.19 | 1.08 |
Jakarta Composite | 6,429.76 | 107.90 | 1.71 |
KLSE Composite | 1,601.54 | -0.34 | -0.02 |
Nikkei 225 | 28,523.26 | -110.20 | -0.38 |
Straits Times | 2,998.77 | 2.85 | 0.10 |
KOSPI Composite | 3,114.55 | 21.89 | 0.71 |
Taiwan Weighted | 15,806.18 | -71.19 | -0.45 |
