Asian markets settled mostly higher on Thursday as investors enlarged their positions, even after comments from US Fed officials indicated that interest rates will not come down as early as markets had initially thought. Chinese shares gained, but languishing near five-year lows after China’s fourth-quarter gross domestic product growth missed estimates. Japanese shares ended on a flat note tracking Wall Street’s fall overnight. Although, escalation of geopolitical tensions after Pakistan conducted strikes inside Iran targeting separatist militants, limited further gains in market sentiments.
| Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
| Shanghai Composite | 2,845.78 | 12.16 | 0.43 |
| Hang Seng | 15,391.79 | 114.89 | 0.75 |
| Jakarta Composite | 7,252.97 | 52.33 | 0.72 |
| KLSE Composite | 1,479.18 | -12.03 | -0.81 |
| Nikkei 225 | 35,466.17 | -11.58 | -0.03 |
| Straits Times | 3,139.78 | -2.44 | -0.08 |
| KOSPI Composite | 2,440.04 | 4.14 | 0.17 |
| Taiwan Weighted | 17,227.79 | 66.00 | 0.38 |
