Asian markets settled mostly higher on Thursday due to string of strong tech earnings from the United States, even as US banking woes and mounting global recession jitters kept investors nervous. A US-based commercial and wealth management institution, First Republic Bank shares dipped to a record low after a report said the US government was unwilling to intervene in the rescue process for the troubled lender. Investors are cautiously awaiting the release of US first quarter economic growth data later in the day for hints on Federal Reserve’s next move on interest rates. Japanese shares rose as investors focused on the first policy meeting of the Bank of Japan (BoJ) under the leadership of the new governor Kazuo Ueda. Moreover, Chinese shares gained as better-than-expected earnings boosted sentiments.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 3,285.88 | 21.78 | 0.66 |
Hang Seng | 19,840.28 | 83.01 | 0.42 |
Jakarta Composite | 6,945.48 | 35.33 | 0.51 |
KLSE Composite | 1,418.05 | 3.80 | 0.27 |
Nikkei 225 | 28,457.68 | 41.21 | 0.14 |
Straits Times | 3,282.03 | -11.88 | -0.36 |
KOSPI Composite | 2,495.81 | 10.98 | 0.44 |
Taiwan Weighted | 15,411.49 | 36.86 | 0.24 |
