Asian markets ended mostly higher on Wednesday, even as investors cautiously await the US Federal Reserve's monetary policy decision due later in the day. Market sentiments improved after International Monetary Fund, in its latest World Economic Outlook report, raised the global growth forecast for this year to 5.5 percent from 5.2 percent projected earlier and it sees major central banks holding their policy-rate settings through 2022. Japanese shares rose on investors' continued expectations for upbeat corporate earnings from major domestic firms. Chinese shares ended up slightly after official data showed the country's industrial profits increased notably at the end of 2020, suggesting a sustained recovery as the manufacturing sector rapidly emerged from its corona virus slump.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,573.34 | 3.91 | 0.11 |
Hang Seng | 29,297.53 | -93.73 | -0.32 |
Jakarta Composite | 6,109.17 | -31.00 | -0.50 |
KLSE Composite | 1,580.62 | 5.31 | 0.34 |
Nikkei 225 | 28,635.21 | 89.03 | 0.31 |
Straits Times | 2,958.63 | 13.11 | 0.45 |
KOSPI Composite | 3,122.56 | -17.75 | -0.57 |
Taiwan Weighted | 15,701.45 | 42.60 | 0.27 |
