Asian markets ended mixed on Thursday in quiet trade following an anemic close on Wall Street overnight. Investors were waiting for policy decision by the Bank of Japan, which may add huge stimulus measures to the economy. Japan’s Nikkei went home with gain of over half a percent, continuing to rally on the back of a soft yen. Meanwhile, South Korean shares closed higher as metals and chemicals rebounded on higher gold and oil prices. However, Shanghai Composite ended lower, despite of positive quarterly earnings from China Minsheng Bank, the country’s seventh-largest lender.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2,199.31 | -19.01 | -0.86 |
Hang Seng | 22,401.24 | 218.19 | 0.98 |
Jakarta Composite | 4,994.52 | -17.08 | -0.34 |
KLSE Composite | 1,706.34 | -1.01 | -0.06 |
Nikkei 225 | 13,926.08 | 82.62 | 0.60 |
Straits Times | 3,337.71 | 15.00 | 0.45 |
KOSPI Composite | 1,951.60 | 16.29 | 0.84 |
Taiwan Weighted | 8,021.75 | -1.96 | -0.02 |
