Asian markets settle mostly lower on Wednesday

18 Oct 2023 Evaluate
Asian markets settled mostly lower on Wednesday due to heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East after a deadly missile attack on Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza killed more than 500 peoples. Chinese shares fell sharply even after a slew of Chinese data topped forecasts. China posted 4.9% growth in the July to September quarter from a year earlier, stronger than the median forecast for 4.6%. Retail sales and industrial output figures for September were also more robust than expected, while fixed asset investment and property investment figures for the first nine months of 2023 disappointed investors. Japanese shares ended flat due to possibility of a more hawkish Fed, while Japanese yen jumped briefly after the Japanese central bank announced unscheduled bond purchases to stem a rise in yields.

Asian Indices

Last Trade            

Change in Points

Change in %      

Shanghai Composite

3,058.71

-24.79

-0.81

Hang Seng

17,732.52

-40.82

-0.23

Jakarta Composite

6,927.91

-11.71

-0.17

KLSE Composite

1,446.54

2.41

0.17

Nikkei 225

32,042.25

1.96

0.01

Straits Times

3,136.62

-35.21

-1.12

KOSPI Composite

2,462.60

2.43

0.10

Taiwan Weighted

16,440.91

-201.64

-1.23


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