Most of the Asian equity indices were trading in the red in Friday’s trade with South Korean benchmark -- KOSPI Composite -- tumbling by over two percent after North Korea blocked access to its Kaesong joint industrial zone with South Korea for the second day running. There were also reports that Pyongyang has moved a medium-range missile to its east coast. However, Japanese Nikkei surged by about three and a half percent buoyed by the Bank of Japan’s announcement of massive stimulus to revive the world’s third-largest economy.
Hang Seng tumbled 528.90 points or 2.37% to 21,808.59, KLSE Composite declined 5.91 points or 0.35% to 1,682.55, Straits Times slipped 5.22 points or 0.16% to 3,302.58 and KOSPI Composite was down by 39.70 points or 2.03% to 1,919.75.
On the flip side, Jakarta Composite rose 12.23 points or 0.25% to 4,934.84 and Nikkei 225 was up by 439.09 points or 3.48% to 13,073.63.
Markets in China and Taiwan remained shut for the trade today.
