Asian Markets trade mixed in early deals on Thursday

20 May 2021 Evaluate
Asian equity benchmarks traded mixed in early deals on Thursday, as the nagging concerns over global economic health with the inflation fears, potential curbs on monetary stimulus and the accelerating covid cases in the region dulled market sentiments. High volatility of bitcoin and cryptocurrency which tumbled and then soared by about 30% on Wednesday also added caution in the market. Investors also digested China’s attempts to rein in raw material prices and the intensifying conflicts between US and China. Technological and financial stocks were mostly higher, while travel stocks, energy and miners were in weaker note. Japan’s Nikkei rebounded from its negative opening due to bargain buying after huge losses in the previous session after local core machine orders, imports, exports and trade balance data. The Japanese economy shrank more than expected in the first three months of 2021, with the stronger pandemics and slow pace of country's vaccination rollout. Among the Asian markets, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia are advancing. On the flip side, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and China are in negative pace.

Nikkei 225 up by 4.70 points or 0.02% to 28,049.15, Straits Times rose 8.70 points or 0.28% to 3,112.91, Jakarta Composite increased by 43.08 points or 0.75% to 5,803.66 and FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI lifted by 1.10 points 0.07% to 1,581.62.

Bucking the trend, Taiwan Weighted declined 61.59 points or 0.38% to 16,071.07, Hang Seng dropped by 199.79 points or 0.70% to 28,394.02, KOSPI lower 16.79 points or 0.53% to 3,156.26, and Shanghai Composite narrowed by 10.10 points or 0.29% to 3,500.86.

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