Asian markets trade mostly lower in early deals

20 Dec 2013 Evaluate

Most of the Asian equity indices are trading in the red in early deals on Friday, with investors treading cautiously following the overnight flat close on Wall Street. A lack of fresh triggers from the region and some profit taking were also contributing to the lackluster trade in some of the markets. Meanwhile, the Japanese market drifted lower, with investors indulging in some profit taking after the previous session’s strong up-move that saw the benchmark Nikkei 225 Index hitting its highest close since December 2007. Moreover, investors remained on sidelines ahead of the outcome of the Bank of Japan’s two-day policy meeting that ends later in the day. Among other markets in the Asia-Pacific region, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore are trading marginally higher, while Hong Kong, Shanghai, Malaysia and Indonesia were trading weak.

Shanghai Composite declined 12.69 points or 0.60% to 2,115.10, Hang Seng dipped 102.86 points or 0.45% to 22,785.89, Jakarta Composite contracted 44.22 points or 1.04% to 4,187.76, KLSE Composite shed 5.28 points or 0.29% to 1,840.90 and Nikkei 225 was down by 65.44 points or 0.41% to 15,793.78.

On the flip side, Straits Times rose 7.63 points or 0.25% to 3,077.86, Seoul Composite added 3.31 points or 0.17% to 1,978.96 and Taiwan Weighted was up by 24.33 points or 0.29% to 8,431.73.     

 

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