Asian markets settled lower on Thursday due to growing worries around inflation that might be forced global central banks to tighten monetary policy earlier than thought. The upcoming US Federal Open Market Committee monetary policy meeting next week is expected to formalize plans to start tapering stimulus this year with an eye to hike interest rates in 2022. Chinese shares ended lower led by coal miners after reports showing the Chinese government is pushing to curb its spiking coal prices, while financial and healthcare shares weighed on Hong Kong’s index. Japanese shares declined as the Japanese central bank kept monetary policy unchanged, while its board members cut their real GDP growth and consumer inflation forecasts for fiscal 2021.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,518.42 | -43.89 | -1.23 |
Hang Seng | 25,555.73 | -73.01 | -0.28 |
Jakarta Composite | 6,524.08 | -78.13 | -1.18 |
KLSE Composite | 1,566.86 | -16.22 | -1.02 |
Nikkei 225 | 28,820.09 | -278.15 | -0.96 |
Straits Times | 3,203.82 | -14.35 | -0.45 |
KOSPI Composite | 3,009.55 | -15.94 | -0.53 |
Taiwan Weighted | 17,041.63 | -32.92 | -0.19 |
