Asian markets trade mostly lower in early deals on Wednesday

16 Aug 2023 Evaluate

Most of the Asian markets traded lower in early deals on Wednesday, with the risk aversion in the market amid the prospect of credit rating downgrades on large US banks. Moreover, diminished bets of less hawkish Fed action followed by stronger-than-expected US retail sales figures also dulled investor sentiments. Participants also side-lined as the Chinese economic concerns intensified with the continued fifth straight fall of new home prices this year annually in July and on uncertainty over monetary policy stimulus by Beijing. Japan’s Nikkei also plunged mirroring negative cues from global indices. Exporters were mostly down with the stronger local currency yen.

Nikkei 225 down 415.79 points or 1.29% to 31,823.10, Straight times dipped by 17.23 points or 0.53% to 3,215.51, Hang Seng slipped by 257.89 points or 1.41% to 18,323.22, Taiwan shrunk by 61.10 points or 0.37% to 16,393.70, KOSPI diminished by 40.80 points or 1.59% to 2,530.07, Jakarta Composite curtailed by 35.72 points or 0.52% to 6,879.38, and Shanghai narrowed by 7.86 points or 0.25% to 3,168.32. 

On the flip side, FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI higher by 2.19 points or 0.15% to 1,462.47.

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