The Asian markets barring Nikkei 225 concluded Friday’s trade in green, with Japan's Nikkei share average dropping for a third day as investors remained cautious amid tensions in Ukraine, while a stronger yen weighed on risk appetite and dragged down exporters. Taiwan Stock Exchange was closed for trade today on account of ‘Peace Memorial Day’ holiday. Indonesia’s rupiah was set for its best month in almost five years after a narrower shortfall in the widest measure of trade prompted overseas investors to increase purchases of the nation’s assets. Thailand’s Industrial Production fell to a seasonally adjusted -6.4%, from -6.1% in the preceding month while the country’s Trade Balance fell to a seasonally adjusted -0.75B, from 2.00B in the preceding month.
Japan’s first round of its monthly Festival of Data is out, and the big one is the January core consumer price index (CPI) which excludes volatile fresh food prices. Japan’s National Core CPI remained unchanged at a seasonally adjusted 1.3%, from 1.3% in the preceding month while the percentage of the total work force that is unemployed and actively seeking employment during the previous month remained unchanged at a seasonally adjusted 3.7%, from 3.7% in the preceding month. Japan’s industrial production rose to a seasonally adjusted 4.0%, from 0.9% in the preceding month while the retail sales rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.4%, from 2.6% in the preceding month. Japanese Housing Starts fell to a seasonally adjusted 12.3%, from 18.0% in the preceding quarter. Japanese Household Spending rose to a seasonally adjusted 1.1%, from 0.7% in the preceding month.
Asian Indices | Last Trade | Change in Points | Change in % |
Shanghai Composite | 2056.30 | 8.95 | 0.44 |
Hang Seng | 22836.96 | 8.78 | 0.04 |
Jakarta Composite | 4620.22 | 51.28 | 1.12 |
KLSE Composite | 1835.66 | 4.00 | 0.22 |
Nikkei 225 | 14841.07 | -82.04 | -0.55 |
Straits Times | 3110.78 | 14.04 | 0.45 |
KOSPI Composite | 1979.99 | 1.56 | 0.08 |
Taiwan Weighted | - | - | - |