Asian markets ended mostly lower on last trading day of the week due to increase in Chinese inflation, which rose at 2.5% in December from a year earlier, quicker than November's 2.0% rise. Japan’s Nikkei went home with green mark after touching a fresh 22-month high, as the yen weakened after Japan announced a larger-than-expected trade deficit. Meanwhile, South Korean market closed lower as the central bank kept key interest rate unchanged and cut its forecast for the country’s economic growth this year on the back of slower corporate investment and uncertainties about the global economy. Also, the auto makers dragged the market down, as the lower yen raised the threat from Japanese rivals.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2,243.00 | -40.66 | -1.78 |
Hang Seng | 23,264.07 | -90.24 | -0.39 |
Jakarta Composite | 4,305.91 | -11.45 | -0.27 |
KLSE Composite | 1,682.70 | -7.23 | -0.43 |
Nikkei 225 | 10,801.57 | 148.93 | 1.40 |
Straits Times | 3,216.50 | -9.75 | -0.30 |
KOSPI Composite | 1,996.67 | -10.13 | -0.50 |
Taiwan Weighted | 7,819.15 | 7.51 | 0.10 |
